French Musical Automaton "Bebe Triste with Toy Theatre, Pup in Basket" Gustav Vichy
Lot #45
30" (76 cm.) Standing proudly upon a green velvet covered base is a bisque head doll with brown glass paperweight inset eyes, thick dark eyeliner, painted lashes, mauve blushed eye shadow, painted lashes, brushstroked brows, accented eye corners, shaded nostrils, closed mouth with defined space between the outlined lips, separately modeled pierced ears, dimpled chin, blonde softly-curled wig over cork pate, carton torso and legs, metal upper arms, paper mache lower arms. Wearing her (very frail) original burgundy silk costume, undergarments, silk slippers, she is holding a wicker basket with floral decorations in which a little pup is hiding, and, in her other hand, is extending a miniature wooden-framed toy theatre with velvet and silk cover, elaborate gilt ormolu decorations, and silk curtain which hides a tumbling acrobat. When wound, seven movements occur: the girl turns to the left, the curtain rises and the acrobat performs a complicated series of movements including tumbling, reversals, and balancing, and then the curtain comes down; she then turns to the right and nods to the basket, whose lid slowly opens to reveal a little pup who waves his front paw. Three tunes play sequentially. Condition: generally excellent, bisque and original wig excellent, mechanism and music function well. Marks: 12. Comments: Gustav Vichy, Paris, circa 1885. The automaton was offered in the 1884 Paris department store catalog of Au Louvre at the extraordinary price of 290 francs, about ten times the cost of a luxury doll in the same catalog. Value Points: extremely rare automaton, notable for its number of compelling actions, music, rare Bebe Triste portrait head, original (albeit frail) very detailed costume, and luxury details of accessory toys.
