French Large Three Singing Bird Automaton
A delightful gem of antique automata, the singing bird never fails to captivate. This wonderful French automaton from the late 1800’s features three mechanically activated and singing birds. The three colorful birds present a repertoire of charming bird song, turning heads, and wiggling tail feathers. They reside within a gilded and domed rectangular cage upon a gilt wood base with applied floral garland motif. Wound by crank, a spring-driven mechanism powers the animation and song with the flick of a lever. The mechanism features a series of cams and levers, as well as a system of bellows to push air through slide whistles to create the realistic sounds.
This enchanting piece has been fully restored, to include hand feathering, and is accompanied by a one-year warranty. Singing birds remain one of the most coveted forms of automata.
24″ High x 15″ Wide x 10″ Deep
Circa 1885