$3,700
Sold
sold
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Description
19" (48 cm.) Standing upon a velvet covered base is a bisque head doll with brown glass paperweight eyes, dark eyeliner, lushly-painted lashes, brushstroked brows, closed mouth, pierced ears, brunette human hair wig over cork pate, carton torso, wire upper arms, bisque forearms, red and golden silk costume and bonnet. She appears to be holding a paper mache egg resting upon a wicker tray; the tray is actually attached to the internal works in her torso. When wound, music plays and she turns her head side to side, and nods, then extends her right arm to sniff the flowers which she holds, and then lifts her left hand which raises the lid of the egg to reveal the hidden surprise - a little bird - which flits back and forth. Condition: music and mechanism function well, restoration to hands, two small original firing lines at side crown rim. Marks: Depose Tete Jumeau Bte sgdg 4 (head) (original paper tune label on base). Comments: Leopold Lambert, circa 1890. Value Points: charming automaton, whose original function was to promote a French establishment "La Belle Basseenne" whose gilt lettering appears on the base.