$8,000
Sold
sold
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Description
34" (86 cm.) Standing upon a circular platform, which contains musical and clockwork mechanisms, is a tall handsome man, having paper mache head, blue glass eyes, leather eyelids, hinged jaw, two rows of teeth and modeled tongue visible when mouth opens, blonde mohair wig, curly moustache and beard, carton torso and leg, wire upper arms, paper mache lower arms and hands. The man is formally dressed in black suit with silk lapels and hankie, shirt with bow tie and stick pin, painted black shoes, and is holding a folio in his hand. When wound, music plays, and he turns and nods his head, slightly blinks his eyes, opens and closes his mouth as though singing, and gestures dramatically with his hands. Condition: generally excellent, hands professionally repainted, eyelids need smoothing, but overall music and mechanism function well. Comments: Phalibois, late 1890s, the gentlemen depicts Maestro performing at the Opera. Value Points: rare model of automaton in captivating performance.