A cowboy, a zebra and Lehmann’s Galop

Lehmann gave this cart a rather unexpected team: a cowboy holds the reins, while a zebra stands between the shafts. The toy is Galop, no. 852, a post-war clockwork model recorded in our museum from 1952.

The printed decoration does much of the work. Black-and-white stripes cover the animal; the driver wears a checked blue shirt, patterned trousers and a wide yellow hat. The large cart wheels carry bright green, yellow and red patterns.

Look beneath the driver’s feet and there is a much smaller wheel, partly hidden by the cart. The thin reins, separate legs and folded metal body give the scene a surprisingly light construction.

Our museum record specifically notes the fragility of the tinplate and the importance of checking the clockwork mechanism. The photograph preserves both the colourful surface and those small exposed parts.