$19,000
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sold
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Description
28" (71 cm.) Arranged upon an ebony wooden base,under oval glass
dome,is a paper mache monkey with brown glass movable eyes,hinged
lower jaw,double row of teeth,mohair wig,beard and moustache and
carved wooden hands. The monkey is costumed as a mystical Conjuror
in elaborate silks and velvets and with matching crown and stands
behind a wooden table decorated with fringed velvet drapes,upon
which are arranged various objects including two silver cups that
the monkey clasps. When wound,two tunes play,including "Sweet By
and By" and "Mabel Waltz",the monkey turns his head side to
side,nods,alternately or together lifts the silver cups to reveal
one of five different prizes (green,orange or white balls,die,or
nothing),and blinks his eyes and open and closes his mouth as
though calling for wagers. Condition: generally
excellent,mechanism and music function well. Comments: Jean
Phalibois,Paris,circa 1880; the automaton was commissioned for an
English-speaking market as indicated by the English tune
names,possibly the luxury Lyons and Healey department store of
Chicago who owned the copyrights to the song "Sweet By and By" .
Value Points: rare and wonderfully-preserved automaton with six
well-functioning movements and fine quality of music. Ex-
collection Paul Gendre of Paris.