Very Rare Swiss Musical Mechanical Carousel by Auguste Lassuerur

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25" (64 cm.) A six-sided fruitwood cabinet with painted scenes,inlay,ebonized columns and base,and glass,walls encloses a mechanical carousel with galloping horses and riders and painted tin gondolas. The carousel has its original canvas cover and curtains and is lavishly decorated inside and out with glass beads and bangles. When the handle is turned,the carousel glides merrily around and around,while horses and riders bob up and down,and six tunes play including French and Russian national anthems,and other waltzes. Condition: generally excellent,functions well. Comments: circa 1890,created by Swiss cabinetmaker August Lassuerer who commissioned Swiss music box makers to assist in the project. The completed vignette carousels were placed in the passenger waiting rooms at Swiss railway stations,designed as public amusement. Over the years most were destroyed or discarded and few are known to exist today. Value Points: very rare plaything object with intriguing history,superb quality of music,charming movements,and wonderful state of preservation.