A handsome man with slender aristocratic bearing is standing holding a small harp. He has a leather face, ebony-black complexion, brown glass eyes, leather eyelids, open mouth, two rows of teeth, carton torso and legs, painted boots, paper mache hands, and is wearing a rich silk costume to represent an Ethiopian prince, comprising a flowing brocade jacket over metallic silk shirt, trousers, and silk turban. He has weighted feet and stands solidly without a base, as shown in the earliest Roullet catalog.
Movements: With regal bearing, he turns his head side to side, nods, and strums the wooden harp he is holding. Throughout, his eyelids open and close. Music plays.
Historical References: The early no-base Roullet automata were made for a short-period only as indicated in an early catalog of that firm. Although the weighted feet offered some stability, clients preferred the security and deluxe presentation of the elegant platforms. This model is very early, combining two rare features of leather head and no-base. Circa 1870.