This jumping spider novelty was produced by the Russ Berrie company, probably in the 1970's. Russ, known mainly for their trolls, also marketed novelty items like this spider.
The spider has a rubbler bladder on its bottom which is connected to a rubber tube with a plastic bulb on the end. Squeezing the bulb causes the spider to jump and squeak. Great for scaring the family dog.
How did it jump? Was it one of those bulbs you squeezed the air out of?
ReplyDeletebefore the Trolls, the Berrie company was known far and wide among Boomers & Gen-Xers for their Sillisculpts (as you know, *cough*):
ReplyDeletehttp://fashion-design.pop-cult.com/sillisculpts.html
They also later were responsible for bringing the Smurfs to America. i didn't realize they did stuff like this jumping spider... this is a good find.
@ladyM: Yes, there's a bulb on the tube. By squeezing it, it inflates a little bladder on the bottom of the spider making it jump and squeak.
ReplyDelete@FrankO: I knew about Sillisculpts (of course), but didn't know they were responsible for the Smurfs.