French Bisque Musical Automaton "Schoolmaster and His Pupil" by Roullet et Decamps

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18" (46 cm.) Posed upon a wooden platform with burgundy velvet cover is a Schoolmaster at his wooden desk and his student,who is kneeling and wearing a dunce cap; each figure has a bisque head with blue glass paperweight eyes,painted features,closed mouth,and original carton body and legs,bisque hands on boy and metal hands on teacher,each in original (frail) costume,and the schoolmaster holding a stick and lesson plan. When wound,music plays,the teacher looks at his lesson plan and turns to the student,tapping him for attention,the little boy moves his head and arms up and down,pretending to study,while his "dunce" ears flap up and down. Conditiion: music functions well,movements are willful,hairline at back of head of teacher. Comments: Roullet et Decamps,circa 1895,presented in their catalog as "Maitre d'Ecole et son Eleve" (schoolmaster and his student). Value Points: rare automaton with unusual theme.