Marten Toonder & Ernst Onkenhout - Beeldje Wammes Waggel - 18 cm. lang - 1 little statue (1990s)

Background info about Rommeldam.
The city first appeared in the Tom Poes story 'The Mysterious Robber Chief' from 1941. In the story 'The Tenant', civil servant first class Dorknoper tells Tom Poes that the city was founded in 1132. In 1353, the name was still Rommeldamme. The name bears a strong resemblance to Toonder's hometown, Rotterdam, and is likely a reference to it. Rommeldam is a small town with many medieval buildings. The half-timbered houses hang over the not always paved streets, and crooked chimneys dominate the urban silhouette with their pointed roofs. The elite of Rommeldam is a member of the gentlemen's club, the Kleine Club. Rommeldam is located near the Black Mountains. It has a harbor and lies on the river Rommel, which flows into the sea at Kattezijl. The mayor of Rommeldam is Mr. Dickerdack. On a hill at the edge of the town stand Castle Bommelstein and the château of the Marquis de Canteclaer of Barneveldt. Bommelstein is the residence of Lord Bommel and his servant Joost.

About Rommeldam in Oisterwijk.
In the Dutch town of Oisterwijk, a miniature version of Rommeldam existed. Theo Sluiter (restaurant owner) and Broos Dröge initiated the construction of a miniature Rommeldam. The establishment of N.V. Rommeldam took place on June 13, 1955, under the name Sprookjesstad Oisterwijk N.V., for the operation of Marten Toonder's 'Rommeldam', commonly known as N.V. Sprookjesstad Oisterwijk or N.V. Rommeldam. Kees van der Weert from Toonder Studios designed the models. Additionally, an architectural firm, landscape architect, painter, and electrical engineers were involved in the construction. The 500 objects and figurines representing the characters for the town were created by Mr. Onkenhout from Amsterdam. They had to be approved by Toonder before installation. The sizes ranged from a few decimeters (for example, Tom Poes's house) to over two meters tall (such as the town hall). The Old Shicht, Heer Bommel's car, was also included; there was both a small version and a full-sized car (license plate GX 11044).
The miniature city was built under pine trees on the outskirts of Oisterwijk, in the Gemullehoeken tea garden at the intersection of the Gemullehoekenweg and the Kivitslaan. It covered an area of 3.5 hectares and consisted of about 400 houses. The construction cost approximately 150,000 guilders. The attraction was opened on June 29, 1955, with an inaugural speech by Godfried Bomans. Part of the entrance fees was allocated to the Prince Bernhard Fund. There were also income from advertising. The miniature city was operated by a manager and fourteen permanent staff members. Between 1955 and 1959, it was a small Madurodam. Visitors could buy a booklet titled 'Rommeldam in Oisterwijk,' which included a welcome message from Heer Bommel, a tour, and a description of the history of Rommeldam. In the miniature city, cars and trains ran, music could be heard, and in the evenings, the buildings were illuminated, as was the street lighting, and the lighthouse was operational. Figures were regularly stolen, especially those of Heer Bommel. In 1959, the fairy-tale city went bankrupt and ceased to exist. After selling the inventory, several Oisterwijkers kept a Rommeldam building in their garden for a while. Most of it has been lost. The tea house no longer exists either. A later sign reading 'Huize Rommeldam' at Gemullehoekenweg 66 keeps the memory of the miniature city alive.

About the artist
The gentlemen Onkenhout (father and son) were the artists who created the objects and sculptures for Rommedam. In particular, the figurines of the characters from the Tom Poes stories were made in collaboration with and under strict supervision of Marten Toonder. In later years, Mr. Onkenhout produced a new series of sculptures from the original, preserved molds. See the last photo where Onkenhout shows such a beautiful figurine to Marten Toonder for his assessment. Only a few copies of these figurines were made, and each one was created by the artist himself and personally hand-painted. A wonderful addition for the display case. These original figurines are rarely offered, making this a unique opportunity.

Kevel info;
This lot features the figurine of Wammes Waggel. It is a beautiful sculpture measuring 18 cm in length. A piece of museum importance and truly suited for connoisseurs—the top collector seeking only the finest masterpieces.

See also the other photos that are part of the description. This museum masterpiece can be extremely well packed and sent via registered mail.

But given the vulnerability, it is also possible that this museum piece will be retrieved in the Amsterdam area or transferred somewhere in that vicinity.