The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I have a Ragtime Rastus figure that was my Great Grandfather's.
I am hoping to find just the holding bracket, platform with mechanism, & adaptor to fit my Standard Model A which I believe
requires an adaptor because of its larger spindle top. Does not need to be original - reproduction parts would be just fine.

https://thephonographshop.com/collections/toy-group

Information and some possible leads. Notice the mention of a Dan Zalewski of Hubbard Reproductions. If he can make a whole phonograph dancer from scratch he can probably help with a new base and some arms.

Hi, I'm Dan Zalewski and I made the reproduction "Ragtime Rastus" toy that you show along side your figure. I also make the toys that Brian P. sells and I usually have some of the toys on eBay. I can supply you with the parts that you are asking about and it looks like one of my spindle clamps can be modified to clamp the large spindle as there appears to be enough of the spindle exposed above the record. (on one of my Standard machines, the spindle doesn't have enough height above the record)
But that figure you have looks very unusual. Are you sure that it was part of a phonograph dancing toy? Because maybe it came from a "limber jack" type toy? The center support rod on your original wouldn't fit into the brass tube on the mechanism platform and with the way the legs are wired together, I don't think it will dance very well if at all. The arms are not a problem. The base mechanism with weight and a spindle clamp (modified for the Standard spindle) would be $75.00 + postage. But like I said, I don't think the results will be satisfactory. PM me if you are interested.
Dan Z.

I wondered if it might have been a homemade figure as my searching hasn't turned up an exact match. I do remember seeing it "dance" on an old gramophone of some sort but don't remember how it was attached. As much as I would like to make it work, I might be okay with just having the pieces to make it look like it works. So I'll give some more thought to whether your pieces would do the job.

BTW - Sometimes I just do quirky things for display only, like my VIC I with Nipper wearing his cone of shame.