Historically and socially relevant 1940s Joe Louis nearly life-sized standup punching figure originally emanates from a German carnival some time around WWII. Standing a total of over five feet tall with the original wood base it casts an impressive presence. Original metal sign on base translates to "Adults and Children" or "Erwachsene & Kinder" in its native German. Sign sports a handpainted black box to alter the price over the decades. The idea was to punch Joe Louis and knock him down which was an impossibility as the base is weighted with sand or iron. The piece is virtually no worse for the wear with only a repaired crack near the neck with and some paint crackling above the torso from incessant punching and other minor scuffs and scrapes. This is an incredible rarity unlike anything we have ever seen before. Sports figures that were essentially "pay for play" are virtually unheard of. And the fact that this is of a NAME personality takes it to a whole 'nother level. It cannot go unsaid that this piece emanates from Germany when they were Nazi controlled. It is not lost on anyone that this is of Joe Louis an American sports idol from not long after his rivalry with the German born Max Schmeling. Furthermore, this is an AFRICAN AMERICAN sports idol from a purely racist regime. You can see the creation and promotion of this piece the goal of going beyond the trifle carnival fare into the realm of aggression being taken out on America and the black man with the carnival "barker" profiting from it.