MADELON

Who is Madelon?

Do you know who this spool
knitter/tricotin was created after?

I looked up the internet and found
that Madelon was Guignol's wife.
Guignol is a popular French puppet
character who was always getting into
"trouble".
Is she named for this character?

I asked my French friend and I was
told that "La Madelon" is a popular song
from Charles-Joseph Pasquier written during
World War I: a very popular song with the
soldiers which soon informally became a sort
of 2nd National Anthem.
Madelon is the daughter of an Inn-Keeper in
Brittany - below is the English version of
the first verse and first chorus ......

"There is a tavern way down in Brittany
Where weary soldiers take their liberty
The keeper's daughter whose name is Madelon
Pours out the wine while they laugh and "carry on"
And while the wine goes to their senses
Her sparkling glance goes to their hearts
Their admiration so intense is
Each one his tale of love imparts
She coquettes with them all
but favours none at all
And here's the way they banter ev'ry time they call"

O Madelon you are the only one
O Madelon for you we'll carry on
It's so long since we have seen a miss
Won't you give us just a kiss
But Madelon she takes it all in fun
She laughs and says "You'll see it can't be done
I would like but how can I consent
When I'm true to the whole regiment"

Is she named for this character?

Below is the spool knitter/tricotin. I would
date it as from the 1920's. Note that she is
knitting on four double pointers.
So, is she the fore-runner for the vintage
Spear's Knitting Nancy/Jeanette La Tricoteuse/
Strickliesel spool knitter who also knits on four
double pointers?

Here she is with her original box.

Madelon La Tricoteuse
(Madelon the Knitting Machine)
- the front of the instruction leaflet.

I would be very interested to hear from anyone
regarding this vintage spool knitter/tricotin.