An exceptionally fine automaton/clock, the oval clock set in the front of a small highly detailed box, fashioned in silver carved with relief designs and sections of pink guilloche enamel with a slightly golden aura. The box measures 4"W x 2-5/8"D x 1-5/8"H, and has canted corners. The face of the clock is in silver and gold with Arabic numerals and is marked "Swiss Made".
At the upper right corner of the front is a sliding latch that causes a small bird to pop up from an oval opening on the top of the box when it is pushed to the right. The bird is clad in natural feathers and colored with polychrome pigments. The bird chirps and flaps naturalistically with the sound made by a small bellows in the interior works. The convex oval lid that covers the bird is pictorially enameled in guilloche, with a mountain lake scene (Lake Geneva?) with a castle on the shore and a sailboat on the lake. The inside of the lid has a gold wash and several marks; "935", "641", "R*B", and an oblong mark with symbol similar to a comet. The grille through which the bird emerges is pierced gilt and engraved with floral designs. When the sliding latch is pushed to the left the bird twirls back inside and the lid closes. There is another mark on the silver just above the clock, a silver mark on the lower back side and several on the underside of the box, including; "FABR DE GENEVE" (made in Geneva), "935", oblong mark with symbol, "163" and "641". The underside is also embellished with designs engraved into the metal. The winding key in the shape of a bird accompanies the box. Automata that mimic birds have been around for a long time. Archytas of Tarentum (420-411 B.C.) is said to have built a mechanical bird that was propelled by a jet of steam and in Hans Christian Andersen's fairy-tale, the Chinese emperor had a mechanical nightingale made of gold and diamonds that could both fly and sing. The most famous of the automaton makers of more recent centuries were Pierre Jacqnet-Droz (1721-1790) and his son Henri Louis-Droz (1752-1791) Other important makers include Jean-Frederic Leschot (1746-1824), Jacob Fisard, Karl Griesbaum, Charles Bruguier.
3,000/5,000 Sold $7,130.00
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