Colonial era toy?

[Gregg3131]

Found this lead toy at early 1700s plantation home. Looks like maybe went on a carousel Very heavy . Looks like it has red paint bleeding thru, any idea how old ? Nice details on the from looks like a design I have seen some that date back to 1600s?(Those were found in Jamestown) . Any idea how old this is ?

 

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[bradyboy]

toy carrasole horse?
I see a pole mount under the front shoulders
IMO
Brady

 

[invent4hir]

Interesting survivor. Not sure of the age, but someone on Tnet probably will. Note the details in the saddle and chest piece plus the bow in the back.

 

[Red-Coat]

I would agree it's a carousel horse. I've seen them on things like music boxes but not in lead and much better cast, so I think you're correct that it was a toy, or part of a toy.

My understanding though is that carousels as we know them with the horses on poles didn't appear until about 1800 and didn't begin to become popularised until the mid-19th Century. Carousels did exist before that but generally without the rotating platform and having the horses hanging on ropes or chains such that they swung outwards as the carousel rotated.

 

[Dfxcobb]

My first impression was..poor ole thing has had a rough life..lol

 

[GoldieLocks]

How have you verified it is lead? I don't know it can be used based on its structure-chemically to pour moulds. Does anyone know more on historical uses of lead?

 

[Red-Coat]

How have you verified it is lead? I don't know it can be used based on its structure-chemically to pour moulds. Does anyone know more on historical uses of lead?

Lead and lead alloys were commonly used for cast toy figures such as soldiers, farm animals and such in earlier times and moulds were sold for people to make their own. The first mass production was from German companies in the 1800s and the preferred alloy was 60-75% lead, plus tin and a bit of antimony making up the rest. ‘Hard’ lead was also used with a lead content of 95% and the rest mostly antimony.

I don’t know about America but lead and its alloys were only banned from toy production in Britain in 1966, although plastics had taken much of the market anyway by that time.

 

[Plug N Play]

May have been a carousel (music box ?) with mixed animals and riders.
This one says lead, ... they suggest 1920s, but they're not sure.

 

[Gregg3131]

I had thought it was lead based on weight and number on metal detector abs construction but I may be wrong

 

[Red-Coat]

Quite by coincidence, I'm sitting here at the moment watching a TV programme about antiquities and an expert is giving his view on a vintage carousel horse (child-size, not a miniature toy). He just confirmed what I thought... that the platform-type carousel with horses on poles didn't appear until the beginning of the 1800s, wasn't very widely known until the middle of the 1800s and didn't really become a commonly-seen fairground/carnival attraction until the beginning of the 1900s.

 

[Retired Sarge]

Quite by coincidence, I'm sitting here at the moment watching a TV programme about antiquities and an expert is giving his view on a vintage carousel horse (child-size, not a miniature toy). He just confirmed what I thought... that the platform-type carousel with horses on poles didn't appear until the beginning of the 1800s, wasn't very widely known until the middle of the 1800s and didn't really become a commonly-seen fairground/carnival attraction until the beginning of the 1900s.

Isn't it nice when you get confirmation on something you think......

 

[CRUSADER]

May have been a carousel (music box ?) with mixed animals and riders.
This one says lead, ... they suggest 1920s, but they're not sure.

View attachment 1903080

agreed early 1900s