"Dandy Smoker" Working Model Automaton from Atracciones Apolo by

Depicting an elegant black dandy with papier-mâché head, brown glass eyes, bisque hands holding lorgnette and cheroot-holder, red tailcoat, original cream satin waistcoat and black breeches, shapely papier-mâché body containing bellows and original non-operative clockwork motor. A separate electric motor causes the gentleman to turn his head, raise a lighted cigarette to his lips, incline his head, exhale the smoke and then lift the lorgnette inquisitively. In marbled wood cabinet with glazed upper section and paneled base with door, figure 22 ¾ in. (68 cm) with hat, cabinet: approx. ht. 80 x wd. 37 ½ x dp. 18 ½ in. (202 x 94 x 63,5 cm), two fingers repaired on left hand. Good working condition and an impressive smoker! - Provenance: Former collection of Atracciones Apolo, an indoor amusement park opened by Josep Vallés Rovira on Parallel Avenue, Barcelona, in 1935. One of the park's most famous attractions was the Museo las Maravillosas Figuras en sus Dioramas (Museum of Marvellous Figures in their Dioramas), a collection of 19th century French automata in fantasy settings designed and painted by the artist Martí Llauradó. - According to an article published by Edición del Domingo on 19 August 1990, the Apolo's automata museum closed in 1957. The automata were stored, forgotten, for almost fifty years until acquired by the Museum of Toys and Automata in Verdú. A rare and historic piece from one of Spain's oldest amusement parks. - References: "A Great and Magical Collection", museum catalogue, pp. 313-325; Ròmul Brotons, "Parcs d'Atracciones de Barcelona", pp. 143-147; Auction Team Breker, 7. November 2015, Lot 628 and 5. November 2016, Lot 530 for other Apolo automata from the series.

布雷克拍品等级是为了方便竞买人判断拍卖品的成色而设置的。布雷克等级用1到6级来标注外观和功能的成色，(从非常好到非常差)。 在目录图册里用括号里的2个数字来表示，前一个数字表示外观成色的级别，后一个数字表示功能成色的级别。如(3/2)表示外观成色是3(满意的)，功能成色2(好)。 成色 定义参照下列标准： 1 - 非常好 (未使用过，没有使用痕迹) 2 - 好 (新，极少的使用痕迹) 3 - 满意的 (普通的使用痕迹) 4 - 及格的 (明显的使用痕迹，某个非主要部件是后配的) 5 - 有缺陷的 (极明显的使用痕迹, 某个主要部件是后配的，功能上有缺陷，需要修理) 6 - 非常差 (严重破损, 缺少重要部件)