This rare clockwork strongman weightlifting toy, L’Hercule Populaire, was made by the French firm of Fernand Martin, dates from c.1914 and comes with the original box. It is part of the collection assembled by Frank Mohr to be offered in Bertoia Auctions’ sale on September 22 in Vineland, New Jersey. The estimate is $6000-9000.
Mohr, a retired presbyterian minister, is especially well known for his Fernand Martin collection. However, he had a broader interest in toys with mechanical movements and also collected early American clockwork toys and European automata.