It wobbles. It laughs. It always comes back.
 
This antique Roly Poly Clown was manufactured by the Schoenhut Toy Company, founded in 1872 by German immigrant Albert Schoenhut. Known for their wooden novelties and musical toys, the company rose to prominence in the early 20th century—producing playthings that balanced whimsy with unnerving precision. But not all of their creations aged kindly.
 
This particular Roly Poly clown—a rare survivor—still emits its haunting, mechanical song when rolled. The sound is dry and tinny, like laughter heard through a wall. Inside, the original weight and chime mechanism remains intact.
 
The face is especially disturbing: once painted to charm, now cracked and flaking, its fixed grin stretches wide beneath deeply shadowed eyes. The years have sharpened its expression into something far more sinister than playful. Repairs have been made—most notably along the sides and the base seam —but they’ve only added to the unease, stitching the past back together with visible effort.
 
Though designed to amuse, this toy feels more like an object of ritual—something meant to move, meant to return, no matter how many times it's tipped or tossed... It always comes back.
 
Height: Approx. 9.5 inches
Condition: Repaired; original motion and sound intact. See all pictures.
Manufacturer: Schoenhut Toy Company, Philadelphia, PA