Antique Singing Bird Automata with Beautiful Gold Gilt Cage. This is mechanical singing bird cage or automaton in style made famous by French automaton maker Bontems. It was known for very realistic sound, and this piece is a perfect example of skill of days go by. The mechanical singing bird sits in a gilded cage of majestic brass and features nice ornamentation at the base, intermittent twisted bars and a decorated ring. The bottom of the cage has a lining and vine foliage winding up the perch. The Automata has an exquisite glass dome with excellent clarity and perfection. This lovely hard to find size glass dome is in excellent original condition. When wound with the key, the large and beautifully feathered plumaged taxidermy bird perched on a branch would begin to sing, with turning head, opening and closing beak and bobbing tail feathers, to the slight-paused continuous birdsong in an enchanting display. The bird is red in color. He is a beautiful bird, and captures the essence of his species. Please note the lovely muted red coloring of the birds feathers that are accented by his dark grey crown, and a spotting of dark feathers on his wing tips. His lovely red plumage morphs into a dark grey coloring on his tail feathers. He is atop a tree branch that decorated with leafage and acorns. His tiny brown feet contrast beautifully with the lighter colored branch. He is very lifelike, and beautifully modeled. At the bottom of the cage are numerous colorful plants in relief in muted greens, browns, and red. Under the majestic Ormolu trolled bronze cage is an ornate base with Rococo embossed. Appointments decorated in relief of scrolls and diamond-form patterns. Size: Approximately 21 inches tall by 10 inches. The appraisal stated French 1870, but did not note the makers name. There should be on the bottom of the cage a label, but due to the fragility of the large glass dome, I have not yet lifted it to turn the cage on its side. I plan soon to look on the underside which Im hoping will have there the Makers label. It is rare to find an Automato such as this one. Condition: Good condition for its age, but since it is over 150 years old there is some wear. Some original feathers, missing. The original flowers are inside cage. Some age wear on fabric & metal surface. As to the Mechanism, it may have limited functioning and Require professional adjustment as to the singing mechanism. It appears to have all is original parts, but as to the performance of the singing mechanism I assume that it would be unpredictable, as the cage has been in storage for quite some time. I plan to wind it up and try it and will update my listing as to its function. I remember this piece as a child and many years ago when this Bird Cage was operable, my Father would wind it up and I would be thrilled by the sound of the bird. It was clear like real birds in the forest. An unusual item for the Serious Collector. The Automata was from my family home where it stood for over 50 years. My parents were Southern Antique collectors, and decorated their home with fine Rococo and Empire Style Antique furniture. History of Singing Bird Automaton. Around 1780 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, Jacquet- Droz invented the mechanical singing bird movement. This movement imitated the motions of birds and reproduced its “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. Bontems’ birds were famous for the realism of their song. The birds were painstakingly feathered by hand and meticulously assembled, piece by piece. If you are located within 600 miles of our location, there is a very reputable Freght Company that can transport the item to you. The item “Large Antique singing automaton French Bird Cage Music Box tall 21 Inch” is in sale since Sunday, January 10, 2021. This item is in the category “Collectibles\Decorative Collectibles\Music Boxes\Pre-1900″. The seller is “deepsouthc” and is located in Montgomery, Alabama. This item can’t be shipped, the buyer must pick up the item.

• Featured Refinements: Antique Music Box
• Country/Region of Manufacture: France
• Brand: FRENCH