'The Little Wonder Forge' Victorian fairground penny-in-the-slot automaton

[daveslot]

Nobody has mentioned this fabulous model which appeared at Peacock auction. Where do think it was made and when?

[jingle]

I thought the auction was today ,
Not For me anyway ,
All ivory and there cracking the wip on all the ivory
Stuff now ,
Especially in the states ,
The police are raiding antique shops in America and smashing every piece
Of ivory in there in front of the owners
They will prob start over here coz we like copying the yanks

[pennymachines]

I had a bid on it but, like Jingle, was put off a bit by the use of ivory. It would be interesting to know the history of this object. Presumably a one-off for travelling exhibition and quite early.

A Victorian fairground penny-in-the-slot automaton entitled 'The Little Wonder Forge' by Levi Gregory, the ivory interior replicating a working forge, within a glazed, mahogany and giltwood case, h. 33 cm, with the mahogany travelling case. CONDITION REPORT: Travelling case with wear and split to top. Automaton missing two finials. Wear to giltwood sections. The penny slot entitled 'Watchman'. Mechanism operates using clockwork- this mechanism requires some minor work- currently the clockwork does function when a penny is placed in, however the drive doesn't connect smoothly with the forge workings so only some rotate and most stop within a second or two (see video)- presumably the moving parts require cleaning out. The thin ivory interior is mounted on a metal framework and does have some losses, auctioneers presume that the interior has gotten damp in places at some point. Width 32 cm, depth 21 cm. Cover max. h. 40 cm.

[john t peterson]

Mr. PM,

Thanks for the terrific pictures. Curious about the restrictions on ownership of ivory here in the States, I found the following information:

African Elephant Ivory
Import
It is illegal to import any item containing African-elephant ivory for commercial purposes.

However, some items containing African-elephant ivory — including musical instruments and items in an inheritance or a household move — may be imported for non-commercial purposes, but ONLY IF:

The item is accompanied by a document from the exporting country attesting that it was acquired before 1976 (by the current or previous owner);
It has not been bought or sold since February 25, 2014. Once in the United States, these items cannot subsequently be bought or sold.
Sale & Export
Items consisting of African-elephant ivory that are already in the United States can be sold within the country or exported only if they are accompanied by documentation attesting either that:

The ivory was harvested prior to 1976; OR
It was imported prior to 1976, before relevant CITES regulations had been enacted.

Asian Elephant Ivory
Import, Export, Sale Across State Lines
An item of Asian-elephant ivory can be imported, exported, and sold across state lines ONLY IF it meets all of these criteria:

It has not been repaired or modified with ivory or any other part of a federally protected species (as defined by the Endangered Species Act) since 1973;
It is at least 100 years old;
It was EITHER imported prior to 1982; or after 1982 through one of 13 ports specifically designated for antiques; OR the item was manufactured in the United States from legally imported ivory.
Sale Within States
An antique containing Asian-elephant ivory can be sold within a state ONLY IF it is accompanied by documentation from CITES certifying that it was imported prior to 1975.

The information on this page is current as of July 7, 2014.

Just wondering, how much did this amazing piece fetch?

J Peterson
Elephant hunter, pre-1916 in America

[jingle]

It's all changing john
With ivory on tv every 5 minutes
People are complaining ,,

[pennymachines]

Just wondering, how much did this amazing piece fetch?

£3600 + 17.5 % + VAT