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Museum object · Toys and Games

Crank toy in the form of two minstrel male dancers

late 19th-early 20th century

Smithsonian NMAAHC collection

COLLECTION RECORDImage not availableExplore the catalog description and source record.
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Source catalog description

This description refers to material held by Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Visual details below describe the original material.

A crank toy in the form of two minstrel male dancers mounted atop a brown wooden box. The figures are metal and wood, and are connected by wire to a cylindrical metal spindle covered in red fabric that protrudes out from a round hole in the top of the box. The figures have identical fabric clothing: brown shirts, white bow ties, white belts, and tan pants. Both figures dimpled bald heads, round white eyes, large red mouths, widely spaced white teeth, elongated necks and have bare feet. An L-shaped silver metal crank extends out from one side of the box. The crank has a brown and black wooden handle.

Sources & collection details

Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture — original record ↗

Source collection ↗

Catalog metadata · CC0 · Source checked 2026-10-13

Catalog reference: 2007.7.266

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