$12,500
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sold
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Description
19" (48 cm.) Posed upon a velvet-covered platform
is a bisque-headed and bisque-arm Chinese lady
with amber tinted complexion,brown glass
eyes,original wig in upswept chignon,and highly
characterized features including high
cheekbones,slender facial modeling and aquiline
nose. Her slender carton torso is costumed in its
original silk kimono and sash,and she is holding a
miniature wooden tea tray and pot. Movements and
Music. The lady sweeps her gaze from side-to-side
by turning her head,tentatively nods,pauses,lifts
the teapot (twice) and appears to pour tea into
the cup,then offers the cup,pauses and repeats the
action. The paper tune card on the underside lists
Carmen Marche. Leopold Lambert,circa 1890. The
Chinese lady tea server was presented in the
firm's catalog as #30 titled Chinese Verseuse. The
uniquely modeled head was created by Jumeau under
special commission and appears on no other model
of automaton,or either,in fact as an articulated
doll,indicating the prestige nature of the piece
as conceived by Lambert. In a nod to the special
sculpt created for the automaton,Lambert described
the piece as having "Tete caracterisee".