Following closely behind the popularity of the Musical Jolly Chimp, other Japanese toy manufacturers such as Kuramochi Shoten and the Yano ManToy Company, as well as companies in the United States and Hong Kong, quickly began producing their own versions of the much loved toy. There were battery operated monkeys and wind up ones. Some swayed to and fro as they happily banged their cymbals and other, more modern versions, learned to do flip flops.
Often sold as part of a set of three musical monkeys, these cute little wind-ups play their instruments as they sway from side to side. Made by the Clockwork Company the toys are made of tin and fake fur with plastic faces. To see an entire set of these vintage classics visit The Bear Room and scroll down to the fifth toy.
A modern take off on the collectible vintage toy, California Creation's Monkey with Cymbals is part of their wind-up toy line of the Not So Grand Band. The original Tomy wind up monkey would march along playing his cymbals accompanied by the five other animal band members with their instruments. The new California Creation's translucent plastic wind-up toy monkey joyously does flips and flops front wards and backwards as he bangs his cymbals together. To view this toy visit the Toy Directory. The replica of the vintage wind-up musical monkey is located third from the bottom of the page.
A cymbal-banging monkey toy is a mechanical depiction of a monkey holding a cymbal in each hand. When activated it repeatedly bangs its cymbals together and, in some cases, bobs its head, chatters, grins, does flips, and more. There are both traditional wind-up versions as well as updated battery-operated cymbal-banging monkeys.
