Clown Collection
Maker: West Germany
Materials: Cloth, plastic, tin
Construction: Molded Plastic
Labels/Tags: Made in West Germany
Age: 1950-70
Description: These five clowns are all capable of being wound up, where upon they perform a variety of actions - shaking maracas, clapping cymbals, spinning a yoyo, or tipping a hat. They are all made of plastic with cotton clothing.
Size: H. 7.5x W. 2.5x D. 2.5"
Provenance: NJ Estate
Weight: 1lbs 6.7oz
Condition: There is some fading to their clothes as well as a weakness to how well they perform their desired function when wound. They still perform when wound, however.
History: Joseph Grimaldi was the greatest English pantomime clowns. His father was Giuseppi Grimaldi (died 1788), an Italian dancing master and pantomimist. Joseph's stage debut was at 3 years old in a dance at Sadler's Wells, London's famous variety theatre. Grimaldi never performed in a circus ring, but spent most of his life performing in full-length pantomimes.He had the most to do with the development of the pantomime character of Clown. Grimaldi used a substantial amount of colour to his mouth, cheeks, and eyebrows over his painted white face. The most striking aspect of his make-up was the large red triangles. His image was followed closely for the next 50 years by most British clowns.Grimaldi was known as a master in the use of expressions of the body and face, unique sense of comic timing, imaginative byplay, and his overall comic abilities. He was famous and influential enough in his time to have had Charles Dickens write his biography.Today clowns are often called Joeys in honour of Joseph Grimaldi.