$10,000
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Description
23" (58 cm.) A bisque-head lady with brown glass
paperweight eyes,lushly-painted lashes and
brows,mauve-blushed eye shadow,accented
nostrils,closed mouth with accented lips,pierced
ears,brunette mohair wig over cork pate,bisque
shoulder plate,carton torso and legs,wire upper
arms,bisque forearms. A wicker basket suspends
from her shoulders and appears to support another
wicker basket with lid (the second basket actually
is attached by hidden metal rods to her torso).
When wound,she turns her head,nods,and lifts the
berries she holds in her left hand; meanwhile,the
lid of the basket slowly arises and the little
feathered bird within lifts his head and awakens.
Condition: costume and bisque are excellent,music
and mechanism function well except bird's chirp is
weak and nodding mechanism need adjustment. Marks:
9 (and artist checkmarks). Comments: Gustav
Vichy,Paris,circa 1885,the model was marketed as
"La Mascotte" in reference to the 1880 French
operetta "La Mascotte"; this example,with earlier
Jumeau head,is a variation of #36 in this
book,with earlier bisque head. Value Points: rare
automaton with exquisite bisque face and fine
original costume and presentation.