Celluloid bath duck (~1930s)

An early yellow duck bath-toy made of celluloid.

The duck is pale (faded?) yellow with an orange-painted bill, and small black painted dots for its nostrils and eye-pupils.

Style

The duck is moulded from two mirror-halves (left and right), with a central seam.

What makes us think that this is a particularly early duck is that although it is the shape and size of a largeish bath duck, it isn't "generic" in the sense that most bath ducks are very stylised, and are expected by owners to be a blobby "rubber duck" shape.

This duck has been carefully sculpted to resemble a real duck. Its feathers have fine detail, and its feet (held back against its sides have ridged webbing and scale detail.)

Provenance and background

The duck was owned by Mrs Pat Miskin since she was a child, and was called "Dilly". It was donated to the Museum in February 2020.