$42,500
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sold
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Description
43" (109 cm.) including hat. Standing upon a velvet-covered base
with cast brass ball feet and woven carpet is a clown with well-
sculpted paper mache face,brown glass eyes,leather eyelids and
lower mouth,brunette human hair,carton torso and legs,wire upper
arms,paper mache hands. The clown is wearing colorful silk costume
and small black top hat,and holds a fan with hand-painted 18th
century scene and having a little ball atop in his left hand,and a
brass decorative parasol in his right hand. When wound,two musical
tunes play,and a series of eight animations occur: he turns his
head from side to side and nods,his eyelids blink,movement of
lower closed lips,his hat rolls from side to side atop his
head,his right arm moves the parasol side to side,and his left arm
rotates while the ball balanced atop the fan rolls from side to
side along the top edge of the fan. Condition: generally
excellent,music and mechanism function well,some cam replacement
during early restoration work. Comments: Roullet et Decamps,circa
1900,the theme may reference a particular clown act popular during
that time era as a similar automaton was also created by Vichy;
popular social cultural activities of the era often inspired the
creation of these grand pieces. Value Points: wonderfully
presented automaton with great presence,his detail of face
enhances the complicated and awe-inspiring movements.