LEGO® Mouse

In 1870 Germany declared war on France, and John and Joséphine were forced to remain in London until the war and other troubles were over in 1871. It was there than John celebrated his sixtieth birthday. He used to call Josephine ‘Puss’ and she bought him the gold mechanical mouse for his birthday, on 12th May 1871 for £22.

The mouse is decorated with seed pearls and has garnet eyes. It is worked by clockwork, and runs around, and stops before continuing its journey. The date 1818 is scratched on the mainspring inside the mouse.

This, or a similar mouse, was shown in London in 1810-20 by Henri Maillardet and Paul de Philipsthal in the ‘Philipsthal and Maillardet Automatical Theatre’. Also exhibited were a ‘Siberian Mouse’, an ‘Egyptian’ Lizard’, and an ‘Ethiopian Caterpillar’.