A large - approx 14" tall  'Chef Gonk' made in the style of original 1964 Gonks Ltd Gonks almost certainly from an officially sanctioned pattern published by Simplicity in 1965... but by the looks of things actually made quite recently.

Gonks has become a sort of catch-all term for mascot figures and Christmas ornaments, but it was originally a trademarked name for a relatively small range of egg-shaped stuffed figures first produced in the UK by Gonks Ltd in 1964. The range consisted of a dozen or so named Gonks with individual characters, like Fred (a working man in a flat cap and braces), Mac (a Scotman in a kilt), Eskimo (an Inuit in a parka and snow goggles), Beat (a Beatle with a guitar), Upside Down (standing on his head - see my other items), Gone (a long-haired Beatnik figure - see my other items).

Between spring and autumn 1964 they really caught on, with heavy coverage in newspapers and all kinds of magazines.They were intended to be fashion accessories, ornaments and conversation pieces rather than toys, aimed at teens and trendy adults rather than kids, though in the end they appealed to just about everyone. 

Although this one is very professionally made, it's not a Gonks Ltd original. (There was no Chef Gonk in their range.) It's clean and new-looking, so I suspect it was made quite recently, probably based on a pattern for Fred Gonk. 

Pics 8-10 are included for information only and are not part of this auction. They include: Upside Down Gonk (see my other items) on the cover of Honey young fashion magazine, June 1964; Fred Gonk and Upside Down Gonk on the cover of The Mod's magazine from August 1964, and the front of Simplicity's Gonks sewing pattern, 1965.

UK only.

Check out my other items for more Gonk and troll-type figures.