A bisque-head girl with brown glass paperweight eyes, closed mouth, long brunette mohair wig, carton torso and legs, composition lower arms, is standing upon a flat green velvet base. She wears a maroon velvet and ivory silk dress with lace and ribbon trim, maroon velvet shoes, and lavish straw bonnet. A wicker basket is attached to the side of her torso, decorated with green silk ribbons; hiding under the basket lid is a white dog. A toy theatre is attached to the other side of her torso, decorated with rose and yellow silk draperies, a red silk curtain, and gilt metal ormolu decorations; inside the theatre is an acrobat. The bisque head, signed 12,is the Bebe Triste model by Jumeau. The automaton key is marked G.V. The three musical tunes, Le Petit Bleu Valse, La Cour et la Main [word illegible],and La Princess de la Canaries are listed on the underside of the theatre. Movements: the girl turns to the left, the curtain arises, and the acrobat performs a complicated series of movements including tumbling, reversals and balancing; the curtain comes down; she turns to the right and blows kisses, the lid of the puppy's basket arises and the puppy waves a friendly greeting with one paw. The automaton was offered in the 1884 Paris department store catalog of Au Louvre at the extraordinary price of 290 francs, about ten times the cost of a luxury doll in the same catalog. Only one other example is known to exist at this time, but not having the Bebe Triste head, an exceptionally rare feature. Gustav Vichy, France, circa 1883. 30" (76 cm). Seven movements. Three tunes. Exhibits: Bagatelle, Paris, 1993.