Ended
Time Left
$6,000
Sold
sold
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Description
20" (51 cm.) Posed upon a nicely shaped black wooden plinth is a black-complexioned man with paper-mache head, brown glass eyes with articulated leather eyelids, open mouth, fleecy black hair, carton torso, paper-mache hands, silk costume, black derby hat, holding a four-string banjo. When wound, he turns his head from side-to-side, blinks his eyes, teasingly sticks out his tongue just to the tip of his lips, and strums the banjo, ending in a high sweeping movement as though to signal the finale, while two tunes play. Condition: generally excellent. Comments: Gustave Vichy, Paris, circa 1890, the bust style automaton was an unusual variation from the full figure models, designed to appeal to the parlor decor scene. Value Points: rare automaton with well functioning music and motion.