$8,500
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sold
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Description
22" (56 cm.) h. dome. 12" doll. A peaceful garden scene is depicted under an arbor of flowers and leaves with hanging bird cage, centered by a bisque-head lady with large blue glass enamel eyes, painted features, closed mouth, pierced ears, wearing her traditional Normandy costume including elaborate coiffe. She stands behind a wooden ironing table, with baskets of fresh linens and potted flowers at her feet, holding a wooden-handled iron. When wound, the lady turns her head from side-to-side, and moves her hand forward and back as though ironing, all the while enjoying the garden scenes around her. Two musical tunes play. Condition: generally excellent. Marks: (original music tune on the base). Comments: French, attributed to Phalibois who specialized in mechanical vignettes that romanticized scenes of daily life, circa 1870. Value Points: especially charming automaton in appealing smaller size, with wonderful scene and activity; the automaton is beautifully preserved with fresh scenery, and well-functioning music and mechanism.