$7,000
Sold
sold
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Description
13" (33 cm.) Perched upon an ebony-finished
octagon-shaped wooden box is a unique bell-glass
aquarium with a bubble-glass inside dome and a
brass fret-work rim. Posed inside the bubble-glass
is a dainty bisque-head musician with sculpted
brown hair,painted facial features,wooden
limbs,wearing original silk costume with
gilt-paper trim,and holding a violin. When the
pull-string at the front is pulled,it activates
the musical and mechanical movements hidden inside
the wooden base: the musician plays his violin,and
turns his head side to side,while two delightful
tunes play. Condition: generally excellent,some
oxidation of aquarium glass which disappears when
filled with water,music and movements function
well. Comments: maker unknown,possibly
Phalibois,circa 1865; the parlor aquarium became a
popular phenomena during that time with numerous
experiments in style and design. (Refer to
www.parlouraquariums.org.uk.) The bell-glass was
one of those designs,and this automaton carries
the idea one step further by imagining an
"underwater" musician whose performs for the
goldfish that would be swimming around him. Few
existing examples are known to exist.