The House of Antiques has dated this French Bulldog Automaton Toy to the 19th Century.
An authentic and well aged 19th century example of what has come to be a rare collectors item. In the form of a Roullet Decamp growling dog toy. With full working pull chain growling mechanism still in fine working order. The head is still and does not nod.
Original glass eyes still in place with its neck collar and furry collar.
The first "Growlers" appeared in 1880s France. Following the ban on bloodsports such as bull baiting in the UK in 1835, a great number of Bulldogs who were then 'unemployed' were exported from England to France and after some selective breeding which decreased their size and improved their temperament, the French Bulldog emerged as a breed and was extremely popular both in France and in the UK with well to do and 'society' families. The popularity of the breed led to these almost life sized and very life like toys being made in great numbers. After all, if one couldn't obtain a French Bulldog, the next best thing was a French Bulldog toy. Various different designs were created but they were all instantly recognisable.
Typically, the body of the Growler from the neck down is a single piece of papier-mâché, attached to a papier-mâché head with a hinged jaw and glass eyes. The feet have wooden castors half-embedded, and a chain from the Growler's neck allows it to be pulled along a hard surface like a dog on a leash. The chain disappears into the back of the Growler's neck and connects to an internal mechanism so that when the chain is pulled, the dog's head moves, its mouth opens, and it emits a growl or bark.
The joint between the head and neck is concealed by a wide black badger-hair fringed collar. These collars were almost ubiquitous on real French Bulldogs of the era (and up to the early 1930's) and were 'fashionable' representations of the badger or boar hair collars worn by their earlier "working" Bulldog ancestors as fighting collars so that the stiff hair would provide some protection for the neck if attacked. Although most of the early French Bulldogs were not working dogs, it was apparently fashionable for them to still wear the authentic badger-hair collar, and the papier-mâché toys followed the convention.
The outside of the body and head is covered in a 'plush' coating to approximate the look and feel of the short hair of the breed.
Size: Hand - H 11” x W 18” x D 7”
Origin: France (Paris)
Date: 19th Century
Condition: Aged
Aged naturally over time, this is a well use and old object made from fragile material so please expect this to reflect in the condition of the item. This is solid and firmly in place with no loose sections. The feet with one rear wheel missing and superficial repaired cracks as shown. The leather strap is original with a small tear that DOES NOT affect it in anyway. The surface shows signs of wear with areas of missing painted detail. There is a small, stable dent on the rear right-hand side that appears to be aged. The growling mechanism works and sound fine, but the head does not bob up and down as its stuck. Original glass eyes firmly in place also. The old dogs still got some life left in him yet.
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The House of Antiques has dated this French Bulldog Automaton Toy to the 19th Century.
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19th Century Roullet Decamp Growling Dog
