This beautiful toy was produced from 1910
Fernand Martin number 221
It was one of the many “Bonshommes” that Martin produced and with which he had a huge success.
Martin was always on his way with his photo camera to photograph people in their daily activities and to design a nice toy from it.
This figure represents a housekeeper who goes after a rat to chase him away.
The movement is also fantastic, after winding up the female rises and bends down again to hit the rat with her broom, the rat also moves forward and back.
Martin has applied for a patent under number 433.472 with the name: Mechanical toy consisting of a person chasing a rat, a mouse or another animal with a broom for example.
The application took place on October 27, 1910
Issued on October 28, 1911
Published on January 8, 1912
Free translation from French of part of the patent text:
The present invention relates to a mechanical toy consisting of an upright subject moving in a linear fashion to hunt for him with a broom, for example a rat, a mouse or an animal.
This mechanical toy, driven by the return loop of a spring, comprises a crankshaft that moves a connecting rod that moves the upper part of the subject so that, under the influence of the rods present, it moves up and down and alternates its broom on the rat. beats who runs ahead of her.
This rat is connected by a stiff metal wire and a lever on a pendulum that gives this animal a little back and forth movement.
An invention with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:
FIG. 1 represents this side toy;
FIG. 2 is a bottom view;
FIG. 3 is a front view in section;
FIG. 4 is a section;
FIG. 5 shows the movement from the rod to the rat.
As can be seen in these drawings, the toy in question preferably represents a standing woman wearing a sturdy petticoat.
After selling the Martin factory in 1912 to Georges Flersheim, Flersheim was the owner of all the patents and registered these patents in the register of the Paris industrial tribunal.
This La Chasse au Rat was deposited on June 12, 1912 at the secretariat of the Paris industrial tribunal under number 3547