Produced from 1903
Product number 195
Hand lacquered
Mechanism: Clockwork
Height approx. 20 cm / 8 inches
The cake walk was very popular between 1870 and 1910.
There were even dance competitions.
The dancers kicked their legs as high as possible one by one and the winning dancers won a cake as a prize.
The dance was so popular that toys were made about it. In the Concours L’epine in 1903 there were at least two designers/inventors, each with a version of this Cake Walk, see pictures below with toys by Mr. Noguier and Mr. De Champville In the picture of the designs by Mr. Noguier we see another toy that looks very similar to one produced by Martin, the “Le Petit Cuisinier” (The Little Cook) number 198 from 1904, coincidence????
Both black and white images from the magazine: Le Bon citoyen de Tarare et du Rhône. Supplément littéraire September 13, 1903
After winding up, the lady goes forward (with the little wheels you can see on the picture) and throws her legs up in front of her.
At the back under the dress is a counterweight (you can see on the left) so that the dancer does not fall over.
Original page from the 1908 catalog