Large Musical Bird Automaton with Clock
- Estimate:
- [restrict paid=ture]$3,500 – $5,000[/restrict]
- Auctioneer:
- [restrict paid=ture]Fontaine's Auction Gallery[/restrict]
- Sold Price:
- [restrict paid=ture]$3,750[/restrict]
- Sold Date:
- [restrict paid=ture]8:00 AM – Nov 16, 2019[/restrict]
Musical Bird Automaton with Clock Under Dome. The automaton features 8 birds on branches with 4 animating, a waterfall and a large tree surrounded by plants & flowers. Two birds move slightly while the other two jump from branch to branch, the waterfall does not function. Time & strike movement signed “Japy Freres” and dated 1855, in working condition. Dimensions: 18 in. wide x 9 in. deep x 28 in. high. Weight: 31.85 lbs.
5 Bird Automaton Clock
- Estimate:
- [restrict paid=ture]$7,000 – $9,000[/restrict]
- Auctioneer:
- [restrict paid=ture]Fontaine's Auction Gallery[/restrict]
- Sold Price:
- [restrict paid=ture]$6,000[/restrict]
- Sold Date:
- [restrict paid=ture]8:00 AM – Nov 22, 2014[/restrict]
5 Bird Automaton Clock. 5 birds are perched in a tree, 3 of the birds and a spiral spinning glass rod at the bottom resembles running water are animated with a spring driven movement in the base. In good condition and mechanism is running, one bird flaps its wings, on jumps from branch to branch and the third drinks from the running water, has 2 bellows and whistles and a separate music box mechanism in the base. To the left side is a 3 in. porcelain dial with black Roman hour numerals, black open moon hands and a gilt brass beaded bezel; typical French, round brass 8 day movement signed Japy Freres, has an half hour strike on a silvered bell. Missing pendulum, has dome and signed with retailers label on the bottom of the base ÂF. Kroeber, Importer & Dealer in French, German and American ClocksÂ. 25 in. high x 17 in. wide x 9 in. deep.
4 Bird Automaton Clock
- Estimate:
- [restrict paid=ture]$6,500 – $8,500[/restrict]
- Auctioneer:
- [restrict paid=ture]Fontaine's Auction Gallery[/restrict]
- Sold Price:
- [restrict paid=ture]$28,000[/restrict]
- Sold Date:
- [restrict paid=ture]8:00 AM – May 17, 2014[/restrict]
4 Bird Automaton Clock. 4 birds are perched within a blossoming tree, 2 of the birds and a spiral spinning glass rod at the bottom resembles running water are animated with a large spring driven movement in the base, the 2 stationary birds are nested in the top of the tree. In good condition and mechanism is running, bird whistles are faint. To the left side is a 3 in. porcelain dial with black Roman hour numerals, black pierced quatrefoil hands and a gilt brass beaded bezel; typical French, round brass movement signed Japy Freres and Brevetes S.G.D.G. strikes on a silvered bell. Missing pendulum, glass dome is in very good condition. 26 in. high x 19 in. wide x 8.5 in. deep.
5 Bird Automaton Clock
- Estimate:
- [restrict paid=ture]$4,500 – $6,500[/restrict]
- Auctioneer:
- [restrict paid=ture]Fontaine's Auction Gallery[/restrict]
- Sold Price:
- [restrict paid=ture]$11,000[/restrict]
- Sold Date:
- [restrict paid=ture]7:00 AM – Nov 17, 2012[/restrict]
5 Bird Automaton Clock. 5 birds are perched within a tree, 3 of the birds and a spiral spinning glass rod at the bottom resembles running water are animated with a large spring driven movement in the base. In good condition and mechanism is running. To the left side is a 3 in. porcelain dial with black Roman hour numerals, black open moon hands and a gilt brass beaded bezel; typical French, round brass movement signed Japy Freres and Brevetes S.G.D.G. strikes on a silvered bell. missing pendulum & glass dome. 26 in. high x 20 in,. wide x 10 in. deep.
Bontems 8 Bird Automaton Clock
- Estimate:
- [restrict paid=ture]$7,000 – $9,000[/restrict]
- Auctioneer:
- [restrict paid=ture]Fontaine's Auction Gallery[/restrict]
- Sold Price:
- [restrict paid=ture]$6,500[/restrict]
- Sold Date:
- [restrict paid=ture]8:00 AM – Nov 22, 2014[/restrict]
Attr: Bontems 8 Bird Automaton Clock. 8 birds are perched in a tree, 2 of the birds and a spiral spinning glass rod at the bottom resembles running water are animated with a large spring driven movement in the base, unsigned. In good condition and mechanism is running; has leaves and flowers in the tree, one bird sits in a nest with an insect on the tree trunk, foliage, moss and mushrooms grow on the ground around the tree. To the left side is a 3 in. porcelain dial with black Roman hour numerals, black open moon hands and a gilt brass beaded bezel; typical French, round brass movement signed Japy Fils and has an half hour strike on a silvered bell. Missing glass dome, dial has cracks, gilt base is refinished and appears to have the name Bontems written in pencil on the inside of the base in script. 26 in. high x 20 in. wide x 10 in. deep.
Saint Francis Musical Automaton Clock
- Estimate:
- [restrict paid=ture]$16,000 – $18,000[/restrict]
- Auctioneer:
- [restrict paid=ture]Fontaine's Auction Gallery[/restrict]
- Sold Price:
- [restrict paid=ture]$12,500[/restrict]
- Sold Date:
- [restrict paid=ture]8:00 AM – Mar 23, 2019[/restrict]
Saint Francis Musical Automaton Clock, Attr. Alexandre Theroude, c.1850, France. The 11.75″ high praying figure has a carved and painted wood head, glass eyes, articulated jaw; the torso has a brass bedplate carrying multiple movements from ten levers, including head, lateral and vertical motions of the arms, right arm articulated at the elbow and wrist, carved wood legs articulated at the hips, knees and ankles. In sculpted papier-mache grotto style case with spinning spiral glass rod waterfall, an altar with crucifix and books, roots, foliage and cavernous ceiling supported by twisted branches. The figure is animated by a spring driven movement driving a pinned wood barrel, fourteen cams, pulley and gong with two hammers; a four-gear train with rack-and-pinion concealed in the rocky landscape enables the figure to rise from a seated to a standing position and then to his knees before the crucifix as he performs his mea culpa with a series of complex hand gestures, bows his head and moves his mouth as though praying aloud. The movement is accompanied by the sound of gongs signaling the matins and the waterfall twisting at the figure’s side. Has a push start button for the animated mechanism which runs a full “timed” cycle before shutting off automatically. Also contained in the ebonized wood base is a a four tune spring driven cylinder music box, “No. 9381”. Mounted on the front of the base is a 3.5″ porcelain dial with black Roman hour numerals, open moon hands and a hinged gilt brass door bezel with sash; brass eight-day spring driven movement signed “Boviller, Paris” has a platform escapement and half hour count wheel strike on bell. Completely restored condition, every mechanism is in working condition; when the cycle is complete the figure completely sits down, but then stands up slightly before stopping. This is an extremely complicated & truly amazing automaton. 34″ high x 22.5″ wide x 14.5″ deep. Weight: 43.25 lbs.
Attr. Phalibois Animated 3 Bird Automaton Clock
- Estimate:
- [restrict paid=ture]$3,000 – $5,000[/restrict]
- Auctioneer:
- [restrict paid=ture]Fontaine's Auction Gallery[/restrict]
- Sold Price:
- [restrict paid=ture]$2,500[/restrict]
- Sold Date:
- [restrict paid=ture]8:00 AM – Mar 23, 2019[/restrict]
Attr. Phalibois Animated 3 Bird Automaton Clock. Wood, plaster & paper mache automaton with 3 animated birds including an original humming bird swinging back and forth in the branches, one flapping its wings at the top and one at the base of the tree drinking from flowing water which is represented by a spinning spiral glass rod; has a brass spring driven movement contained in the base with original wooden gears timing the animation, separate brass spring driven 2 tune cylinder music box is also contained in the base. The timepiece on the left-hand side has a 3.25″ porcelain dial with black Roman hour numerals, blued open moon hands and beaded gilt brass bezel; French round brass 8 day spring driven movement signed “Japy Freres” has a half hour strike on a bell. Completely restored with replaced flowers, upper and lower birds; everything is in good running and physical condition, has pendulum and both winding keys. 22″ high x 20.5″ wide x 11″ deep. Weight: 13.5 lbs.