Early 20th century oriental bamboo 2 seat child carriage

Early 20th Century Large Noah’s Ark A larger than usual example of an early 20th Century hand carved / painted pine Noah’s ark. With lifting roof and sectioned lifting central hul...

Early 20th Century English Ventriloquist Dummy An unusual example of a hand-crafted early 20th Century English ventriloquist dummy. With tailored made velour outfit with pearl but...

A wooden decorative sculpture of a horse created in early 20th century France. Playfully painted, and caught mid-pose, this charming horse ...

Rare find antique Chinese gilt wooden carved adult toys. It is 100 percent hand made hand carved from Camphor wood with gilt painting on it. They are the couple of a man and a women....

Toy Noah’s Arks for children to play with were very popular in the late 19th and early 20th century, and Germany was very prolific in their production. This particular ark is all ori...

This Chinese opera marionette puppet is dress in an elegant embroidered silk dragon robe. The puppet head is of painted ceramic. The ornate headdress...

Early 20th century aunt sally english fairground game. We share what we love, and we love this oversized early 20th Century example of a carved wood Fairground Aunt Sally knock do...

Early 20th century Auntie Sally English parlour game A rare early 20th Century example of an English hand-crafted Aunt Sally parlour game. Made from pine wood this item has 22 wooden throwing sticks, 1 aunt sally figure, several clay pipes...

Early 20th Century English Folk Art Jigger Doll A great example of an early 20th century English hand carved folk art articulated jigger doll. With charming hand carved boots, moustache and top hat, metal pins in its joints for articulation purposes. Stood on a metal wire stand...

"Articulated Cyclist Toy – Belgian Folk Art, Early 20th Century" Early 20th Century Belgian Folk Art Articulated Cyclist Toy Handcrafted Solid Wood — Rare Colonial-Era Subject — Mechanically Designed Pedaling Motion (Belt Missing) Description A rare and remarkable early 20th-century Belgian folk art toy, hand-carved entirely from solid wood, depicting a stylized Black cyclist mounted on a painted green bicycle. The figure is fully articulated and was originally designed with a mechanical belt-drive system (now absent) connecting the foot pedals to the rear wheel. When pushed forward, the toy was engineered to simulate a realistic cycling motion, animating the rider's legs in tandem with the rotation of the wheels. Materials & Construction Primary material: Solid wood (no plywood or laminates) Figure & Bicycle: Fully carved, hand-painted in polychrome (green, red, black, ochre) Mechanical features: Jointed limbs designed to move with crankshaft motion Metal-spoked wheels on rotating axles Pulley attachment points for original belt-drive (belt now missing) Dimensions: Length: 53 cm Height: 42 cm Condition: Structurally intact; expected surface wear and patina consistent with age; belt mechanism missing but all original pulley points and joints remain. Iconography & Cultural Context The cyclist is depicted as a Black male figure in a red cap and outlined uniform, rendered in a simplified, expressive style typical of early folk toys. The toy likely reflects Belgium's colonial presence in the Congo during the early 20th century (Congo Free State until 1908, Belgian Congo from 1908–1960). Such depictions were common in Belgian visual culture of the time, often appearing in children's media, toys, and public exhibitions. This toy offers not only mechanical charm but also serves as a historical document, reflecting period attitudes and visual language. It holds curatorial interest for ethnographic, toy history, and colonial-era cultural studies. Dating & Attribution Date: Circa 1900–1930 Origin: Likely Belgium Style: Folk art, with vernacular mechanics and colonial subject matter Comparison: Closely parallels German kinetic push toys...