Verstran Advertising Piece | ||
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Posted 3 years ago
Ted_Straub
(1000 items)
Here's a cool vintage promotional piece plugging Verstran, generic name: prazepam.
This psychotropic drug was/is used to combat anxiety.
The item seems to be of high quality, with an 8.9Cm tall hardwood base, and with the metal balancing figure the piece measures 17.5CM in height.
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How tall is it from head to feet ??
Also called a " balance toy "
It doesn't appear he is actually balancing...looks fixed?
On this balancing toy it can most often only rock back or forth. Most of the older ones like this, they balanced on 1 foot. The older 1970's versions which I bought in 1979 were actually 7 1/2 inches from head to foot. The newer ones are under 3 inches in height. Not too cool. A lot of the newer ones can be ordered for under 5.oo direct from China !~
I think these (and similar sorts of things) were marketed as "kinetic" art/sculpture -- the definitions "art" or "sculpture" could be debated of course, but the "kinetic" part (meaning that it moves) is easy enough. They were (are?) commonly found as executive desk toys -- this one obviously first on a Doctor's desk someplace, courtesy of his drug rep. Nowadays it has been made illegal for such 'gifts' to be branded by pharma corporations, in a similar way that cigarette advertising/branding isn't allowed on anything but cigarettes anymore.
I've always presumed they are copies/models/variations of somebody's (much larger?) *actual* original artwork installation someplace, but I don't know that and haven't ever researched it.
I must be buying too much China lately...because when I see balance toys, I think of the Japanese Yajirobe (toy of balance) which is part of the 1907 Noritake back stamp...
https://gotheborg.com/marks/noritake.shtml
Hi, Phil...thanks for your input, which is very much appreciated. the figure is 8Cm from head to toe. And the span of the balance bar is 16.5Cm.
Good morning, dav2no1....he does balance on pointed feet. Thank you for your question.
So your saying the balance guy is separate from the wood and is balancing on top? That ales it cooler...
**makes it cooler...I thought it was fixed like a trophy
Yup Dave -- the little metal guy just sits 'balancing' on the wood pedestal, and when touched he rocks back and forth on his pointed 'feet' (like a pendulum, and without falling off) until the inertia wears down and he eventually stops again. :-) :-) :-)
Now the chinese are selling these balance toys and fits your dimensions. I ordered a couple a short while ago for the kids, and they were just under 4-5 dollars. No base included. Still fun but I do not still have my original one, which I bought in a knick knack shop, and where it went is oblivion to me. Nice to see it here. Good to see it used as a promo piece !~
I appreciate the insight that many of you have given on this item. From this, I gather that this is a quality item. I got this at a retiring doctor's office dispersal.