罕见的自动音乐玩偶’Bob et sa Grenouille Savante’ J.A.F.制造 约1930年

Rare Electric "Bob et sa Grenouille Savante" (Bob
and his Trained Frog) Automaton by J.A.F., c. 1930   
Depicting a quixotic clown with blue glass eyes, elon-
gated neck, articulated lower lip and oversized shoes,
sitting on the back of a white-painted chair while an
anthropomorphic frog with a fishing line balances on
his left shoe. On stage-form wood base with two short
flights of steps and seven-cam electric motor, width
24 ¼ in. (62 cm) x height 44 ½ in. (112 cm) with neck
extended, 43 ¼ in. (110 cm) with neck retracted and hat,
restored and redressed. – Literature: Bailly, "Automata,
the Golden Age", pp. 98, 247. – Bob balances a stack of
three balls in his right hand, elevates his right leg until
his foot is parallel to his forehead, and then lifts off his
hat. Balancing the brim of the hat on his toe, he lowers
his leg at the same time as the frog dips his line and
moves his mouth as though croaking with surprise at
what he has found inside the hat. Bob moves his lower
lip, elevates his leg again, and drops the hat neatly back
onto his head. The trick is accomplished by the articu-
lated toe of Bob's right shoe and the ingenious design of
his telescopic neck, which extends and retracts to acco-
modate the hat. – Jouets et Automates Français (J.A.F.)
succeeded Vichy-Triboulet in 1923. The firm specializedin electric automata, occasionally producing larger and
more complex models (such as "Bob") from its prede-
cessor's catalogue. – We know of only three other ex-
amples of this piece: two clockwork (in private collec-
tion) and one electric in the Museu dels Autòmats del
Tibidabo. One of the largest and most impressive
Vichy-J.A.F. automata, in good working order!