$13,500
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sold
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Description
29" (74 cm) overall. 12" (30 cm) man doll.
Arranged upon an ebony wooden oval base which
contains musical and mechanical movements is a
garden scene with bower of branches, stumps,
mossy ground. Posed in the scene are three bisque
dolls including seated lady with fan, dancing
lady in pirouette pose, man with tambourine. When
wound and lever released, and musical string
pulled, the seated doll turns her head and fans
herself, the dancing doll twirls, and the man
waves the tambourine and turns head, while music
plays. Condition: generally excellent. Comments:
Phailibois, circa 1870, the doll heads are early
portrait models in rare petite size, the man's
face being the model known as "Smiling Bru".
Value Points: rare early automaton scene is
wonderfully preserved with elaborate original
scene and costumes, preserved under glass dome
with hand-painted scenes in the background.