Discovery of French Paper Mache "Sixteen-Surprise Magician" Automaton w/Cruchet Signature
Lot #214
20" (51 cm.) overall. 14"man. 16" x 16" base.
Arranged upon an ebony-wood base with
faux-rosewood floor is a man with paper-mache
head,black side-glancing eyes,artistically-painted
features,fine white hair beard,moustache,sideburns
and hair that is captured under an
elaborately-wrapped silk turban,with carton torso
and legs,paper mache hands,posed behind two
bi-level wooden tables with velvet and
metallic-fringe skirts. The upper table holds a
green crystal ball and two cones which the
magician is holding,and the lower table holds an
assortment of magic symbols including
wheels,cone,cards,die,magnet and balls,and
more,whose only purpose is decorative. Within the
base is an intricate arrangement of wooden and
brass works,and a musical box; the mechanism and
music are wound separately. When wound,the
magician turns his head side to side,nodding,and
then alternately lifts his hands revealing
surprise after surprise,while music plays. There
are sixteen surprises in all: jester
head,carrot,bust of woman,gold ball,red
ball,bell,glass vase,green ball,crystal ball with
a feather,bust of a man,three balls,another bust
of a man,hexagon ball and two dice. Condition:
generally excellent,mechanism and music function
well,the presentation and costume are perfectly
preserved,having been in a glass vitrine for
nearly 175 years. Marks: Cruchet Marie,Rue de
Menilmontant,Paris (lettered on inside floor of
base,and also stamped on interior works).
Comments: Marie Emmanuel Cruchet,French,the artist
and inventor was written about in the landmark
French toy histories Les Jouet de France by Leo
Claretie and Les Jouets... by Nicolle,with
refernce to his imaginative and delightful
pieces,which appear to have been made one by
one,by himself. This present Magician example was
made,possibly as early as 1830,as he is known to
have worked during the period of Restoration,but
certainly no later than 1840. (See The
Encyclopedia of French Dolls,Vol I,page 161-163).
Yet few examples of his works have even been
absolutely identified with his signature,making
this an important discovery as well as a
delightful musical work. Value Points: extremely
rare,possibly one-of-a-kind,and in a felicitous
state of originality with elaborate silk and
velvet costume and accessories,decorated lavishly
with pearls and gilt. even including his slipper
which are hidden under the table.
