Wood, NOT Metal! 1936 Patent "Sprinkling Sambo" Lawn & Garden Sprinkler. Hangs on Wall!

Item Details

This wooden "Sprinkling Sambo" lawn sprinkler was patented in 1936, (click on: Patent #2,030,605, Sprinkler Sam) and was made by T & L Novelty until 1946 when the patent was assigned to another company.  The original 1936 patent, Sprinkler Sambo indicates the design could be cut from wood or metal and did not specify which would be chosen for eventual production.  Could it be that this piece was made out of wood during World War II in an effort to conserve metal for the war effort?  After T & L Novelty's design there have been at least 3 manufacturers of similar versions, but very few of them were made of wood AND survived in this condition!

This piece amazingly retains its original paint and parts - no touchups! Also, no warping! To enable the piece to hang evenly without removing the hose, we had two blocks of wood attached to the back.  To display on a wall and to keep the piece from shifting left or right, simply tap in 2 stratigically-placed wire nails on either side of the figure.  The two blocks we added for display purposes can easily be unscrewed from the back of the figure to return the sprinkler to its original form.  While on display and for safety's sake, we suggest the pronged base be unscrewed from the rest of the unit and saved in a safe place.

To read more about these sprinklers click here:  Jim Crow Museum. 

Quoted from Popular Mechanics magazine in 1942, “Silent, black-faced comedy has been introduced into the serious business of lawn sprinkling with a wooden colored boy who holds the nozzle and distributes water evenly about the lawn and garden. The smiling midget, powered by the force of water, turns round and round, while his double-jointed right arm swished the nozzle in rhythmic motions. Occasionally the animated comedian reverses the direction of his rotation as if to spray extra water on a spot he had missed. The tempo of his gyrations can be stepped up or diminished by varying the water pressure. Standing 33 inches high and wearing a patched red, blue, yellow and black costume, the whirling figure can be anchored to the ground in any part of the lawn by two spikes inserted through a flat base.”

Quoted from The Daily Times-News, August 29, 1946, “The only Lawn Sprinkler that makes people stop, watch, and smile.” 

DIMENSIONS:

• Wooden figure alone measures 26" long.  Wooden figure including pronged stake measures 34" long.  
• Wooden figure width is 8-1/2" PLUS extended arm and hose:  14" overall
• Figure stands out about 3-1/2" from the wall to allow the arm and hose to hang properly.
• Wooden panel is 3/4" thick.

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