#164

French Musical Automaton "Banjo Player Seated on Chair Back" by Gustav Vichy
Live Auction

Ended
$8,250
sold
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Description
22" (56 cm.) Seated on the top rung of a ladder-back chair is a black-complexioned papier-mache man with smiling face and strong features, brown glass eyes, closed mouth with row of teeth, black wiry hair, carton torso with one hinged hip, wire upper arms, papier-mache hands, bare feet, wearing black velvet jacket with large silk bow, white ruffled shirt, checkered pants, and black top hat and has a wooden banjo in his arms. When wound, he turns his head in a nodding circular motion, opens and closes his eyes, strums the banjo and moves his right leg as though keeping time to the music. Condition: generally excellent. Comments: Gustav Vichy, circa 1890. Value Points: the rare automaton has charming movements enhanced by handsome smiling face.