$8,000
Sold
sold
Click image to enlarge
Description
26" (66 cm.) Seated in a wooden glen under the
over-reaching branches of a tree and alongside a
hillock which frames a clock,is a paper-mache
monkey with painted features,hinged jaw,and
wearing 18th century style silk and velvet
costume. Tucked into the tree branches are
feathered birds and a hummingbird in nest. A
twisted glass waterfall is present. Movement and
Music. The monkey turns his head and nods while
opening and closing his upper and lower lips as if
singing,while his right arm strums the violin. The
birds turn side-to-side and flit among the
branches while chirping. The waterfall pours
forth. There are 11 animations and two tunes.
Attributed Blaise Bontems,Paris,circa 1885,likely
in collaboration with Phalibois. The monkey head
and the cluster of six brass cams that control the
bird movements are of Bontems style,along with
the two bellows that provide the chirping bird
sounds,Independently controlled is a pull-string
wound,44-note musical movement by Mermod et Cie
that bears the patent date of 1882. The
clock,over-wound,has an 7-day movement and is also
independent of the automaton movement. The rare
scene animee is one of the rare examples of
interaction among different automaton makers.