Rare and Original French Bisque

Live Auction

20" (51 cm.) Standing upon a velvet-covered wooden platform is a Chinese lady with rich amber-tinted complexion,oval facial shape with modeled high cheekbones,narrow brown glass inset eyes,thick black eyeliner,lightly-feathered brows and lashes,aquiline nose with flared accented nostrils,closed mouth with very full lips enhanced by shading and glaze accents,pierced ears,black mohair wig over cork pate,carton torso and legs,wire upper arms,amber-tinted bisque forearms with well-sculpted fingers. When wound,the lady elegantly turns her head side to side,then graciously nods,while alternately bringing forward the cup and saucer she holds in her left hand,and then "pouring" tea from the pot in her right hand; the movements repeat and music plays. Condition: generally excellent,music and mechanism function well. Marks: L.B. (key,and remnants of original paper label on base). Comments: Leopold Lambert,circa 1888,the automaton appears in Lambert's original catalog as #39,described as "Chinese Verseuse" as having "tete caracterisee". Lambert had commissioned the unique "character face" from Jumeau and quite proudly boasted of it; the face appears on no other automaton nor did Jumeau create it as a doll which was his standard practice with automaton heads that he produced. Value Points: extremely rare model with outstanding quality of sculpting and finest bisque,fine luminous and flawless complexion,original perfect hands,superb royal purple silk kimono with embroidered flowers. The doll is said to be from the early doll collection of 19th century actress Sarah Bernhardt.