A clown with paper mache head is balancing a peacock feather on his nose while he plays the guitar. The clown has glass eyes with leather eyelids, and highly characterized features including prominent nose and jaw, gaunt cheeks, ruddy complexion, red mohair wig, carton torso and legs, paper mache hands posed to play his guitar. The clown is posed with head looking upward, as he carefully balances a twirling peacock feather, and he is wearing rose silk clown costume with applique stripes, lace collar and cuffs, and appliqued sequins, black stockings, rose silk shoes, and black velvet cap. he has Roullet key.
Movements: The peacock feather twirls around, giving an illusion that it is being balanced by the clown, his eyelids flutter and he plays the guitar. The peacock feather is attached to a brass rod that connects to the internal mechanism that causes it to twirl. Music plays.
Historical References: The automata appeared in the Roullet & Decamps catalog named Clown Equilibriste, #157. In the catalog it was illustrated with a stand; this is the earlier Decamps model made to stand by itself. The model is quite rare.