French Monkey Marquis with Violin Automaton by Gustav Vichy

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14" (36 cm.) Seated upon a gilt wooden salon chair with blue silk tufted upholstery is a paper mache head monkey with glass eyes, attached wire spectacles, closed mouth with row of painted teeth, hinged jaw, fur covered scalp and lower legs, wire upper arms, paper mache hands, holding a wooden violin in his arms. When wound with cast iron key, the monkey is designed to move his head in series of circular motion, open and close his mouth and play the violin. Condition: aesthetically excellent, mechanism needs adjustment. Comments: French, attributed to Gustav Vichy, circa 1875, who created a series of musical Marquis monkeys with various instruments. Value Points: original Marquis costume of fine silks, with original spectacles, and violin, especially luxurious chair. The automaton is shown in the book, The Rose Unfolds, by Rosalie Whyel and Susan Hedrick, page 66.