French Singing Bird Automaton

A delightful gem of antique automata, singing birds never fail to captivate. Enjoy the song of a brightly colored bird with this beautiful French automaton. The animated bird rests on a foliate-wrapped perch within a round brass cage ornamented with decorative embossing, beaded trims, and raised on toupee feet. Upon pushing a small lever in the base, the songbird begins its sweet song while moving its head, beak, and tailfeathers.

Singing birds remain among the most coveted and complex forms of automata. The mechanism features a series of cams and levers, along with a system of bellows that push air through slide whistles to create realistic sounds. A key-wound, spring-driven clockwork mechanism in the base powers the animation and song.

This delightful automaton has undergone a full restoration and comes with a one-year warranty.

12″ High x 6.5″ Deep

Circa 1925