Musical automaton "Girl – strawberry vendor"
Musical automaton "Girl – strawberry vendor"
France, Paris
Circa 1890
Pierre-Francois Jumeau, Lambert, Léopold
Bisque porcelain, papier-mâché, wood, metal, fabric, lace, hair; sewing, painting, joinery, mechanical works, weaving
50 x 23 x 25 cm, 5 kg
Red stamp on the nape: ‘Déposé Tête Jumeau, 4", on the key grip: "LB".
The automaton in the form of a girl selling strawberries is mounted on a rectangular wooden base with rounded corners, covered in embossed burgundy velvet with a braid trim along the upper edge.
The control mechanism and the musical movement with musical comb, pinned cylinder, and spring drive are housed inside the base, with winding key and on/off button located on the rear side.When the spring is wound and the mechanism is activated, a melody plays, and the girl raises and lowers her right hand holding the berry. She smoothly turns her head right and left, up and down, then raises her left hand along with the basket lid, revealing the contents: berries and a small doll in a red lace dress, which turns to the left and back. As she lowers her left hand, the girl closes the basket lid, and the entire sequence repeats to the musical accompaniment.
1796/ММП