$42,000
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Description
23" (58 cm.) l. x 19"h. seated upright. Bisque portrait-faced lady is posed in an imperial manner upon a velvet-covered wooden-framed recamier with ball and fringe edging and embroidered velvet pillow. She has brown glass paperweight eyes, closed mouth, finely-painted facial details, brunette mohair wig in upswept coiffure, shapely elongated carton torso and slender legs daintily crossed at the ankles, and is wearing a finely woven silk and lace gown with low neckline designed to emphasize her separately-modeled shapely bisque bosom; the gown is decorated with appliqued pearls which match her pearl necklace and velvet-flowered and pearl hair ornament, and she has golden velvet slippers and holds a gilt handled fan with exquisite hand-painted scene and a gilt lorgnette. Condition: generally excellent, music and movement function well. Marks: L.B. (key). Comments: Leopold Lambert, circa 1885, with bisque portrait head by Jumeau, the rare automaton is accentuated by three brass cams plus two steel stud-cams within the clockwork mechanism. When wound, music plays, and a series of realistic actions occur. Luxuriating on her recamier, the elegant lady, seeming to greet guests, turns and nods her head in a graceful circular movement, appearing to arise, while alternately fanning herself with her left hand, and gazing imperiously through the lorgnette held in her right hand. She pauses, and then reclines again, evidently having satisfied the social demands of her high station. Value Points: its larger size and intricate movements and artistic presentation of the model indicate its luxury creation, as does the rare portrait Jumeau head and exquisite original costume, recamier and accessories. Few other models are known to exist.