1920s French Penny Toy Whistle with Spinning Squirrel Cage

Collectibles : Toys : Penny Toys

 

From 1920s France, a penny toy. This is a squirrel in a spinning cage which was sold by street vendors in large cities in France, England, Germany and the United States. The original price? A penny, of course!

When air is blown into the stem and the hole in the end of the pipe is blocked, the cage and squirrel rotate at different speeds. This is a whistle, but sadly, the whistle no longer makes a sound due to a missing component inside the pipe.

The toy is marked with “France, E.C., Depose.” There is wear from countless efforts to make the squirrel and cage spin.

When this toy is complete, it sells for many times the price of this particular toy. Even in its present condition, this is a nice example of a fun toy for children from 80 years ago.

Item ID: 0037