Passed
Click image to enlarge
Description
32" (80 cm.) Posed upon a superb circular wooden platform with velvet-covered under-base and velvet carpet is an amber-complexioned adult woman. She balances on one foot,her other foot backward and posed on tip-toe,supported at her back by a classic pedestal column,and at her side by the exquisite floor-standing harp which she is about to play. The lady has a head of staff/composition with beautiful oil-painted features,enhanced by subtle blush. Her brown glass eyes have articulated eyelids,her mouth is closed with a hint of painted teeth on the slightly smiling expression. She has long flowing brunette human hair. She has carton torso with graceful lady shape that accentuates her slender and shapely paper-mache legs with leather cover having original finish and painted sandals. Her forearms are of paper-mache with gesso overlay and the articulated wrists are covered in leather to hide their internal joint mechanisms. The wooden arch-shaped diatonic harp,known as cythare,has polychrome,hand-painted scrollwork and a decorative figurehead of a god with horns at its front base. The lady is garbed in flowing silk chiffon with metallic gilt lace,allowing and enhancing her gliding movement. Movement and Music. Her elegant pose accentuates the graceful movements. The Harp Player gracefully turns her head from side-to-side,blinking her eyelids,and periodically gazing upward,then down,as both of her arms glide freely in a realistic plucking of the harp strings. Not only is there movement of her arms,but also independent movement of her articulated wrists. Her breastplate moves up and down as though she is breathing. Music plays throughout. Vichy/Triboulet,Paris,circa 1895-1905. The automata,deposed model,#486,appeared in the firm's catalog named "Merveilleuse jouant de la cythare". The catalog description,using such terms as timidite and troublee,indicated the highly emotional feelings she was meant to depict as she prepared to perform her solo. Overall,this model is emblematic of the period when Vichy's creations included more ambitious architectural touches that were "as one" with the theme. The extremely rare model shows a staggering amount of planning on every detail. A highlight of the Steinbaum Collection,acquired from the Merrick Collection. Dr. and Mrs. Byron Merrick of Berlin Heights,Ohio hosted the founding meeting of the Musical Box Society at their home in 1949 and this piece was demonstrated there at that event.