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Gong Toys “Ding Dong Bell, Pussy’s not in the Well” *SOLD*

Gong Toys “Ding Dong Bell, Pussy’s not in the Well”

Here we have an extremely colorful toy by Gong Toys, circa 1900.  It is a pull toy where the bell oscillates as the wheels turn, making it ring as a kid would pull it along the floor.

Our colorful characters appear to be a young girl and her pussy cat, then historians debate the man.  He appears to be a likeness of  Punch from Punch and Judy, a puppet character from the old world.  The man should just represent the boy Little Tommy Stout from the old English nursery rhyme:

 

Ding, dong, bell,
Pussy’s in the well.
Who put her in?
Little Johnny Thin.
Who pulled her out?
Little Tommy Stout.
What a naughty boy was that,
To try to drown poor pussy cat,
Who never did him any harm,
But killed all the mice in the farmer’s barn.

The toy shows light chipping but yellows, reds and blues are vibrant.  We believe this to be a professional restoration that is difficult to detect.

The cat figure steals the show with its white coat and black spots, giving the girl a hug.

The Punch and Judy show has roots in the 16th-century Italian commedia dell’arte. The figure of Punch is derived from the Neapolitan stock character of Pulcinella, which was anglicized to Punchinello.[3] He is a manifestation of the Lord of Misrule and Trickster figures of deep-rooted mythologies. Punch’s wife was originally called “Joan.”

Plaque commemorating the first recorded performance of Punch and Judy on St Paul’s in Covent Garden

“Punch me, Judy!” Punch said. “No, I am gonna punch you.” Judy said.

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