This toy is a delivery man/driver, possibly alleged Félix Potin driver. It is still unclear what number this should have, but we assume it should be one of the numbers 242-243 -244.
Produced from around 1917
Product number probebly 244
Hand lacquered
Mechanism: Clockwork
Height approx. 20 cm / 7,8 inches
At that time, all the big department stores had their own delivery services.
They brought the purchased goods with their trucks to the customers’ homes.
One of these department stores was Félix Potin but there were many at that time.
I started from Félix Potin because the clothes and cap look a lot like those of Félix Potin but it could also have been another department store.
Perhaps this figure was made especially for a customer as an advertising object.
This figure walks by means of two rods that come out of the shoes and go up and down, thus simulating walking.
This principle was applied quite a lot by Martin as can be seen on the Patent sheet below of the distinguished gentleman ( le vieux marcheur from1901 )
Pictures of the toy: thanks to Renaud Fournier