Toyland (Occupied Japan) Banjo Player Monkey (1940s)

Digital image download of a Toyland (Occupied Japan) Banjo Player Monkey (1940s).

1934 pixels in height, 300dpi. Image copyright Jim Bunte LLC.

Another example of postwar Japanese mechanical ingenuity, this toy features banjo-strumming and “music” generated from a small music box inside the monkey. Guaranteed to annoy any adult within listening distance. The monkey’s garb is actually quite creative and suggests its design may be based on a character from American popular culture.