Vintage Automaton Monkey Inflating Mechanical Stands Up Tips Hat Lederhosen Suit

Description

Vintage automaton type mechanical inflating Monkey. Handmade item. Monkey in Lederhosen with straw hat!! I was told by the previous owner that the Monkey was used at a campground to meet road wary travelers entering the campground oasis!! Standing in the camp office window greeting folks, maybe YOU have seen the Monkey B4? Crystal Lake NY was mentioned during the conversation, previous owner could not recollect with certainty. Wood box type base that the Monkey is mounted on does house an old electric vacuum cleaner motor along with an automatic controller. The Monkey has a skeleton or inner framework of sorts, can be felt beneath some areas of fur. Once the motor is plugged in the Monkey inflates, rises, stands up and tips his hat. The motor is automatically cycled on and off allowing the Monkey to inflate and rise, tip the hat, deflate and sit back down. The motor does work, the Monkey will rise only so far, 2nd pic shows exact position, some air bleed off can be felt around the neck area. While the Monkey is rising if You assist and help the Monkey with just the slightest touch it will stand up completely and sometimes tip his hat. The arm that tips the hat feels spring loaded, may be spring steel, seems the more it is exercised the better it works. The Monkey has been at rest for decades, shows age and use related wear and degradation, torn and missing fur, most wear at the neck area. Inner bladder will fill right out as seen in the first pic. Air leakage can be felt at the neck area. Overall height is about 4'- 5', certainly large enough to be considered Life size. As stated the motor does run, the cord looks original but is not frayed or cracked. Please see all pics. I am not offering to ship the Monkey, very delicate item. Local pickup welcome, encouraged. Drop off, meet up possible, dependent on buyers location. Monkey is located in area code 14207. ##When initially plugged in the motor will run constant for maybe a minute or 2, then begin to cycle, to be considered normal operation ###