$57,500
Sold
sold
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Description
36" (91 cm.) 43" with parasol. A slender-featured
refined lady with paper-mache head having defined
high cheek bones,and aquiline nose has a rich
oil-painted amber-tinted complexion and facial
features,brown glass eyes with dreamy expression
achieved by heavy articulated eyelids,open mouth
with row of teeth,and original black human hair
with defined widow's peak. Over her carton torso
she is wearing an original embroidered silk kimono
costume with rich embroidery including a large and
elegant crane,various under-layers,sash,and silk
slippers,and carrying a very large wooden handled
paper parasol,and lacquered tray on which are
displayed paper-mache masks that she is offering
for sale. Movements and Music. Holding a parasol
in one hand and a fan in the other,the lady pivots
her head,raises and lowers her eyelids,while
gracefully twirling the parasol between her
fingers and occasionally lifting the mask to cover
her face and then lowering it again. There are two
tunes that accompany the music. Gustave
Vichy,Paris,circa 188 9,the model was actually
presented in the Vichy catalog as model #448 named
"Marchande de Masques" although commonly known as
the Japanese Lady Mask Seller. The model was
deposed by Vichy and bears the original Vichy
trademark lever and key. So important was this
automaton that it was described in an 1892 feature
in the journal La Nature. This example is in a
remarkable state of preservation,with superb
original costume,tray,hanging masks and even
extremely rare original parasol. It is functioning
beautifully. Ex-collection Jacques Damiot,(Paris
1914-1983) before its acquisition by Jerry and
Bunny Steinbaum,photographed in Les Automates by
Eliane Margot (1959).