The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Just picked up a phonograph today and included with it and the records was this mouse-eaten box containing this "Dancing Rastus". Never seen one in person before, I'm not sure that it works, appears it's missing its feet. I may need to pry the nails off the platform and take a look at the mechanism inside as it'll work when he's not on the platform but appears not to spin when he is. Anyone have one and fixed one before?

So there was a part of the cabinet that couldn't be opened. I just remedied that and, on top of a few scroll label records and sleeves inside, I found a couple of mittens and some of the missing Rastus pieces. I can probably get a pretty good match on the missing foot now that I found at least one of 'em. There are a couple of records in the collection that had a weird wear mark on the labels. I now know where that wear mark came from!

Contact Brian at The Phonograph Shop. He is pretty knowledgeable about these toys and can help.

Matt

Rastus is fun. Let me know if you want more photos.. Lucky you got the box. The Phonograph Shop sells repros but you can get a new peg wheel there, those are the first to break. Mike

I have a reproduction version which is always a big hit with my guests.
I wish I had an authentic Rastus. Well worth repairing.

https://youtu.be/BL4zglzVGrE

A while ago I bought a Rastus that needed some work.A late friend of mine restored it for me. edisonplayer

I repaired a neighbour’s Columbia table top machine a while back and they have a few different figures to mount on their base. My favourite us the drunkard and the Kentucky whiskey.

wow the kentucky guy is cool. steve

This was an interesting topic. My wife is also a collector who likes the accessories, Nippers, needle tins, etc. For Christmas I gave her two of the the drivers, 2 original Rastus dancers, an original boxers and the fighting cocks. She loved getting new toys to the collection.

Congratulations on finding an original! Once you get it working, would be fun to see a video of it in action.