$9,000
Sold
sold
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Description
24"(61 cm.) x 23à. Enclosed within a
beautifully-crafted six-sided wooden cabinet with
inlay,painted scenes and fancy ebony columns is a
19th-century carousel featuring galloping horses
and curtained gondolas of decorated painted
tin,with delighted riders on each; the carousel is
covered by its original canopy with lavish
decorations of lace,pearls and colored glass
baubles on the inside roof. When wound,the
carousel merrily revolves and the horses and
riders move up and down in classic fashion,while
six different tunes play in sequence. Condition:
generally excellent,mechanism and music function
well,original coin-operated mechanism revised to
keywind,cabinetry well-preserved. Marks: August
Lassueur 15 Fev [18]97 Ste.Croix,Suisse (original
paper label on interior). Comments: August
Lassueur,circa 1897,the carousel was created by
the Swiss craftsman who specialized in "creations
for public amusement"by fitting his carousel with
Swiss music boxes. Each was,designed to be placed
in the waiting room of a Swiss Railway station for
the entertainment of passengers. Value Points:
very rare and historically-fascinating automaton
is well-functioning,has fine original
cabinet,figures and accessories,and plays six
different tunes which are listed on the tune label
including tunes,such as the national anthems of
Russia and France,that were designed to inspire
longing and anticipation from the travelers who
were presumably heading in those directions.