$8,000
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sold
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Description
26" (66 cm.) Bisque head portraying an adult man, with ebony black complexion and highly characterized handsome expression including wide beaming smile, strong cheek bones and chin, and with glass inset eyes, sculpted and painted brows, accented eye corners and nostrils, black fleeced hair, tall slender carton torso and legs, wire upper arms, expressively-sculpted hands, and wearing a fine costume of black silk breeches and stockings, silk embroidered vest, shirt with narrow tucks, burgundy silk jacket with tails, and firmly-shaped gold top hat; the man is standing upon a velvet covered base, with cigarette holder in right hand, and corsage in his left. When wound, he turns his head side to side, then lifts the cigarette holder to his mouth, inhales, lifts his head and exhales, while alternately extending the corsage of flowers which he holds; two tunes play. Condition: generally excellent. Marks: (original paper label lists two tunes, Mon Paris Fox-Trot, and Lucky Day Fox-Trot). Comments: Leopold Lambert, circa 1890, the automaton appeared in the Lambert catalog as "Negro Fumeur, No.30", with unique bisque character face by Jumeau commissioned for this model only. Value Points: wonderfully-preserved automaton with great presence, superb bisque modeling of face and enchanting movements and music. Ex-collection Christian Bailly, and with blue ribbon award from 2000 UFDC convention.