Passed
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Description
25" (64 cm.) Standing upon a velvet-covered wooden platform,slightly leaning forward as though displaying her basket of wares,is a paper-mache lady with rich dark brown oil-painted complexion,brown glass eyes,articulated eyelids,open mouth with double row of teeth,brunette mohair wig,carton torso and legs,paper-mache hands. She is wearing a rich costume of silk and silver with gilded ornaments,and appears to be carrying a rectangular peddlar's basket with interwoven ribbons. Inside the the basket are three silk-petaled flowers with hinged lid arrangement. Movement and Music. The woman turns her head from side-to-side,while her eyelids blink,lending an animated impression. The basket,which is actually connected to the woman by a metal bar at her torso which controls the mechanical wires,begins to "come alive" as though the flowers were abloom,and alternately,the flowers open up to reveal their activity: a little mouse circles around and around chasing his tail,a tiny bisque doll with antique costume circles as though dancing,and a paper-mache monkey turns side-to-side,blinks his eyelids,and his mouth opens and closes as though chattering "Choose me,choose me". There are 11 animations and two musical tunes. The controls are a signature style Vichy winding key and single-ridged acorn-shaped pull lever. Gustave Vichy,Paris,circa 1885,a similar model was shown in the London 1884 catalog of Silber and Fleming. The theme was popular with Vichy who created several variations of the peddler theme with "magical surprise". Not only was the animation of the flowers a surprise,but when the tiny hidden figures began their performance,it added to the delight.