Two plush-covered pigs, one with blue sailor's cap and the other with a suitcase and beret. The key to wind the pigs is missing, so it is uncertain what their actions were.

The manufacturer is unknown, but the pigs are possibly manufactured by Schuco as The all-colour directory of metal toys: a pictorial guide to the art of collecting international playthings records on page 23 a 'Pig band' by Schuco, made around 1936. This consists of three pigs playing a drum, a flute and a fiddle. The fiddler looks remarkably like the pig in the blue jacket, which has a shortened arm which could have held a fiddle.

Schuco toys were founded in 1912 by Schreyer and Co. Its chief designer, Heinrich Muller, developed some ingenious new designs for the company including some toys that could be wound by turning an arm, which meant there was no key to lose. Schuco toys were either painted or cover in plush.

Bartholomew, Charles. Mechanical toys, London; New York [etc.]: Hamlyn, 1979

Cadbury, Betty. Playthings past, Newton Abbot [Eng.]: David & Charles, c1976

Hillier, Mary. Automata & mechanical toys: an illustrated history, London: Jupiter, 1976

Tempest, Jack. Collecting tin toys, London: Collins, 1987

Powerhouse Museum Collection: search for 'Toy figures'

Victoria and Albert Museum: Museum of Childhood. Collections: Moving toys

State Library of South Australia: Mortlock Wing exhibitions. To be a child August 2004-