$23,000
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Description
26"(66 cm.) h. Arranged upon a wooden plinth is a vignette of Pierrot seated at a writing
desk,a lamp at his side. Pierrot has a classic white-complexioned paper mache head,glass
eyes with leather eyelids,and wears his traditional white and black costume. A spring-driven
clockwork motor with two-air musical movement is concealed within his torso. Condition:
generally excellent,mechanism and music function well. Marks: (trademark two-ridge acorn-
shaped stop/start control). Comments: Michel Bertrand,Switzerland,circa 1975,his automata
Pierrot Ecrivain"(Pierrot writing) was inspired by the similar earlier 19th century work of Vichy
in which firm (under its successor Maison J.A.F.) Bertrand had worked as a young man,and
which firm he eventually took over. Bertrand (d. 2001) prepared much of the superb automata
collection of Madame de Galea of Paris for exhibition in the National Museum in Monaco and
remains a revered name among automata connoisseurs today. Value Points: superbly
preserved automata with compelling animations: first,the lamp is lit,and then Pierrot leans
forward,presumably writing a letter to his love; he grows sleepy,and nods off as the lamp
flame dims. He subsequently awakens with a start,adjusts the flame,and returns to complete
his letter. Animations include the turning of his head,nodding,blinking his eyelids,turning of
right arm and right wrist independently,the left arm,and the automatic wick to complete the
performance. The complicated automata was made on special commission only; an original
model by Vichy is on exhibit at the Guinness Collection of the Morris Museum in
Morristown,New Jersey.