French Musical Automaton "Little Girl with Toys" by Leopold Lambert

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14" (36 cm.) h. seated. 14" x 14" base. Bisque doll with blue glass eyes, original mohair lashes, painted features, open mouth, four porcelain teeth, dimpled chin, pierced ears, blonde mohair wig, carton torso and legs with metal hip hinge, wire upper arms, bisque forearms is posed seated on a velvet covered wooden base, alongside various toys including a paper mache donkey with nodding head, rattle, and little all-bisque dolls. Condition: generally excellent, music and motions function well. Marks: 1300-7 Dep S&H (and original boutique label under velvet cover). Comments: Leopold Lambert, the model was deposed in 1894 along with this note about its design, "I took careful note of the movements made by the child and I have managed to imitate the entire range of these movements". Value Points: delightful automaton featuring a doll with original wig and original fine silk dress. The automaton is notable for the number of synchronic movements: turning head side to side, leaning forward, alternately waving arms, kicking feet up and down in delight, while the donkey nods his head and all the while music plays.