Passed
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Description
33" (84 cm.) Standing upon a handsomely-finished walnut base with red velvet cover that serves as his stage is a Gymnast,posed between two white wooden chairs. The Gymnast has a sienna-tinted composition head with clown markings,inverted v-shaped eyebrows,black mohair wig,glass eyes,and open mouth with cherry red lips that expose a row of teeth,carton torso and legs,composition hands. He is dressed theatrically in billowing silk trousers and sleeves,velvet embroidered vest,turban,wide cummerbund,and pointed gold slippers with faux-emerald settings. Movements and Music. He stands proudly as though waiting for the music to signal his performance. The music begins and he slowly raises his right hand,nods to the audience. He then takes hold of the chair in his right hand and lifts it off the ground. He then replaces the chair on the floor and performs a handstand,balancing on two chairs. He repeats the handstand,but this second time,he also raises the chair while still in the handstand position. The overall performance,having ten animations,is graceful and smooth.Michel Bertrand,Switzerland,1984,patterned after Vichy's deposed model 517,"Gymnast",yet having Bertrand's signature twists of design including both chairs facing forward,instead of one to the side,a slightly different sequence of animations,and a different performer model,this with facial model sculpted by Bertrand uniquely for this automaton. "The Gymnast with Two Chairs" was commissioned from Bertrand by Jerry and Bunny Steinbaum in 1984,a quarter century ago,and has been in their possession since that date.