This is a wonderful, working example of fine craftsmanship. In very nice condition. I have enjoyed it for several years now and have never had any problems when operating it on special occasions to show friends. There has been no refurbishing or cleaning. It remains exactly as I found it. The ONLY flaw that I can tell you about is the fact that the tail feathers are very old and original. (as with the others). And they are not as full as they once were over a hundred years ago. It has a commonly missing or damaged latch on the bottom that stops the music box that works very well. When operating, the bird’s head, beak and tail feathers move with amazingly realistic tweet sounds that come from the whistles in the bottom. You should see the movement inside! It really is a work of art. Below is some history that I found on the web for you. History of Singing Bird Automaton : Around 1780 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, Jacquet- Droz manufacturers of complex clocks invented the mechanical singing bird movement. This movement imitated the motions of birds and reproduced it’s “birdsong” very authentically. It contained leather bellows and piston whistle assemblies. About 60 years later the bird movement was perfected by the Blaise Bontems workshop in Paris, France. Blaise Bontems (1814 – 1893) was a noted Parisian specialist in the manufacture of automaton singing birds and the first of a dynasty of automaton manufacturers, which included his son Charles Jules and his grandson Lucien. Bontems’ birds were famous for the realism of their song. In 1960 Reuge took over Bontems as well as Eschle’s production in Germany. The acquisition insured that the 200 year old tradition would be safeguarded. To this day Reuge continues the manufacture of singing birds, in the traditional manner. Birds are painstakingly feathered by hand and meticulously assembled, piece by piece. Be sure to check out my other vintage items as well before you go. About OldfartCollections: I visit all kinds of sales always looking for unique items and great deals to pass on to you. The best thing is, I don’t try and get rich off of any of my deals here. I just love doing it. I’m always adding different, unusual, or hard to find items so be sure to add me to your favorite sellers list before you go. Thanks for stopping by and God bless. The item “1800’s Antique 12 Bontems Singing Bird in Cage Music Box from France” is in sale since Tuesday, November 5, 2019. This item is in the category “Collectibles\Decorative Collectibles\Music Boxes\Pre-1900″. The seller is “oldfartcollections” and is located in South Bend, Indiana. This item can be shipped to United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, South africa, Ireland, Mexico, New Zealand, Singapore, United arab emirates, Malaysia.

• Modified Item: No
• Country/Region of Manufacture: France
• Brand: Bontems
• Original/Reproduction: Original
• Featured Refinements: Antique Music Box
• Antique Original: Yes