Les Boxeurs – the boxers from 1891 – number 115

Courtesy Bertoia auctions

Produced from 1891
Product number 115 (In the books known to us, this toy has the Martin product number 35 which is not correct, see below on the original catalogue page in the left corner)
Hand lacquered
Mechanism: Rubber band

Length approx. 15,5 cm/ 6,1 inches
Height approx. 14,7 cm/ 5,8 inches

Page from the original catalogue 1898

There are not many copies left and often the arms have disappeared, even the toy that was in Martin’s gift in 1908 to the Paris museum Musée des arts et métiers, no longer has arms.

model without arms (photo courtesy Jisse Kath )

If there are arms attached, they are often not the original but repro arms. It is advisable to check this with UV lighting, only if the replacement took place a long time ago then this will no longer be visible with UV light.

Picture from the magazine La science moderne – Journal Illustré 1891, Courtesy Gnum

I found this image and text of how the boxers toy works in this magazine.

La science moderne – Journal illustré 1891 :  NUMBER 49  OKTOBER 03-1891  PAGE 105

THE WONDERS OF INDUSTRY

The Boxers

Our chapter of the wonders of small industry will be enriched, this time, with a very curious toy.

These are two boxers practicing and having a real match.

The mechanism, as in most of these toys, is very simple. A horizontal rod shown at the bottom of the drawing serves as a pendulum.

It is connected to an arm by an axis which supports an outgoing shaft.

The movement is given by a strong elastic band which is twisted using the external crank; this elastic, by relaxing, turns a toothed wheel which meshes with the outgoing shaft. 

One foot of each boxer is fixed on a vertical axis folded in Z;

The two axes are connected by a connecting rod which makes them perform the same movements.

One of the axes has the arm extended to the end of the horizontal balance; there is therefore produced each time the toothed wheel turns, a back and forth movement which is communicated to the two boxers.

As they only have one foot attached and the other three limbs are made mobile thanks to a rubber, it follows that with each movement the limbs execute a series of very curious and well-suited gestures boxing scene represented by this toy.

Paul Hisard.

Recommended French toy site :

De link is: https://www.jouetsanciens.fr/

I would like to recommend you this link to everyone.
Attention is given to all aspects of collecting antique toys.
Of course also to Fernand Martin but also to many other brands.
The default text is in French but can be converted into various languages ​​​​by means of a selection menu that is at the very bottom on the first page of the site.

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A new color variant of the rope-jumping girl La Sauteuse De Corde

During my collection years, I only came across this toy in five different color versions.

  • dress in yellow with the details in red
  • dress in blue with the details in red
  • dress in green with the details in red
  • dress in red with the details in blue
  • dress in light blue with the details in gold-colored

See this link https://fernandmartintoys.nl/fernand-martin-the-rope-jumping-girl-number-31-la-sauteuse-de-corde/

Now a reader of my blog has sent me some photos of a new color variant, dress in yellow with the details in green, we now know that there are 6 different color variants.

And we clearly see that there is a pattern of small green/red flowers on the yellow part of the dress.

Courtesy photo’s: Jisse Khat

New sales tin toy side in the Netherlands with, of course Fernand Martin toys and a lot more.

https://www.tintoy-collector.com/

We started collecting antique toys a long time ago and we will continue to do so for many years to come, the third generation is already eager to join us.

For that one special item, we go to trade fairs at home and abroad, and we also scour the well-known and lesser-known platforms to find that nice addition.

You can imagine that over time we have acquired a large network and beautiful collection and we would like to share this with you by offering beautiful and high-quality items through our webshop.

If you are interested in one of our items on the page, I invite you to respond by email.

tintoycollector@kpnmail.nl

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