A bisque-headed lady with very distinct and expressive portrait face, blue glass paperweight eyes, closed mouth with artfully painted lips, separate bisque shoulderplate with generously sculpted bosom, carton torso and legs, and bisque forearms is standing on a maroon velvet-covered flat wooden base. The bisque head of the lady, a commission sculpture from Jumeau, has Jumeau artist's checkmarks. The lady is wearing a very elaborate magician's costume of mauve silk with red silk jacket, each trimmed with soutache, and a red silk headdress with flowers and soutache embroidery disguising two paper mache gilded horns. The lady stands behind a wooden pedestal table with gold leaf finish covered with maroon velvet table cover decorated with fringe and embroidery. Arranged on the table are two over-turned silver flower pots and a gold die, each hiding a "surprise". Movements: the lady turns her head from side to side as though compelling attention, then she glances up and down in preparation for her surprise; her right hand that holds the magic wand moves side to side, then up and down; she taps three times with the magic wand and one of the three covers lifts to reveal the surprise hidden beneath: a glass-eyed monkey with mouth that opens and closes, a blue-eyed clown that saucily sticks out its tongue, or a pretty bisque-head girl with clasped bisque hands that blows kisses. The automaton, named Magicienne, No. 201,appeared in an early Roullet catalog described as having pieces a surprise. Priced at 180FRANCS this was one of the five most luxurious and expensive pieces offered by the firm, undoubtedly made to custom order only; few examples are known to exist. A favorite of Christian Bailly, another example of the model was featured on the cover of his book Automata, The Golden Years. Jean Roullet, France. Circa 1880. 31 1/2" height (80 cm). Eleven movements. Two tunes.