$4,500
Sold
sold
Click image to enlarge
Description
21" (53 cm.) Standing upon patterned velvet covered base is a bisque-head lady with slender portrait like face, blue eyes, thick dark eyeliner, painted lashes, feathered brows, aquiline nose with accented nostrils, closed mouth with shaded lips, pierced ears, dark brunette mohair wig over cork pate, carton torso and legs, wire upper arms, paper mache hands. The lady is wearing elaborate Spanish festival dress of gold silk with black lace overskirt, soutache braid, red silk bows and gold jewelry. When wound, music plays and she sways her body (from the waist) back and forth, turns her head, and alternately lifts her left hand, and then her right hand which she twists back and forth at her wrist, thus shaking the tambourine which she holds. Condition: generally excellent, music and mechanism function well. Marks: L.B. (key). Comments: Leopold Lambert, circa 1890, a luxury example of their automaton named "Espagnole" in the firm's catalog, with portrait face and exceptional costume.