Folk art anatomical gentlemen's erotic pocket toy or mass produced?

I get it. That was going to be my second question.

 

I think identifying the type of plastic would help narrow down the date. I wonder if such a simple mechanism could still be considered an automaton? There are collectors for these kinds of novelties.

 

I believe plastics first came out in early 20th century. Baekeland had a winter home here in Miami. Unusual piece, thank you for posting.

 

First off I am not sure how you will feel about doing this, the easiest way to tell the difference between plastic & bone or ivory is to see if it feels cold to the touch. I usually use my cheek, but the inside of you forearm could also work.

Plastic will feel warm, but bone or ivory will always feel cold to the touch.

I also would not attempt repairs of any kind as that may put some potential buyer off. JMHO

 

The plastic looks like Celluloid or similar. It dates farther back than you would think. The small size makes me think it was something a man might carry in a pocket & show to male friends. A little peep show, like some stanhope viewers.

 

Doesn't celluloid smell like vinegar and stronger as it degrades?

 

That is exactly the purpose, Bronwen, spot on. And yes, there were plastics in the 19th century, celluloid was one. Judging from the hairdo of the 'lady', this dates form the early days of plastics.

 

There were also snuff boxes with erotic scenes inside the lid. A man would offer his male friends some snuff, and some entertainment to go with it.

 

Could well be that none of the Celluloid I have around the house is old enough to have degraded to that degree, but none of it smells like vinegar. Flammable it is. Read somewhere that it was developed to use up the left over raw material for an explosive when some war ended.

 

Think I have also seen pocket watches that provided similar action to this item.

 

Stolen from Wiki:

Celluloids are a class of compounds created from nitrocellulose and camphor, with added dyes and other agents. Generally considered the first thermoplastic, it was first created as Parkesine in 1856 and as Xylonite in 1869, before being registered as Celluloid in 1870.

 

#1, the man, ain't so little !

#2, why is it always the man who has to move back and forth ???

( sorry folks.....there's only so good I can be..!! )

 

Ha!!!!!

 

Think probably not. It needs to move without you moving it. Remember, 'auto' means 'self', it moves by itself.

 

What I want to know is why it's always the lady with no clothes on. At least she's a bit cartoon-like too in this case. I can see some teenager getting this off his dad's desk to giggle over with his friends.

 

Just a thought

Don't all Gentlemen have an erotic pocket toy?

 

Yep, and one wonders what was going through the dad’s mind to have it in he first place, it seems so juvenile. Sorry, JMHO!

 

Hi Marie,
You should have seen my collection of neckties that all had naked ladies painted on the inside. Talk about juvenile. I had over 30 ties from the 20s and 30s.
greg

 

Men & dare I say women have been captivated and stimulated by erotic imagery down thru the ages, in many different cultures.
Depictions of sexual positions with full nudity are commonplace in many cultures.