"Cuisinier" (Drunken Chef) Musical Automaton by Gustave Vichy, c

With papier-mâché head, articulated eyelids and jaw, metal hands (missing one finger) holding a bottle of Madeira and a large copper pan, going-barrel movement in the body, velvet-covered base and brass plaque: "Déposé G.V. Paris", in cream satin chef's costume trimmed with mother-of-pearl buttons, matching hat and apron, height 25 in. (63,5 cm) including hat, cat and pan age-appropriately replaced, figure, paint surface and movement sympathetically restored, good working condition. With steel key and "acorn" stop/start. - References: Bailly, "Automata, the Golden Age", pp. 88, 246; Auction Team Breker, 24 November 2012, lot 527, for a similar piece. - The chef lowers his eyelids haughtily, lifts the bottle to his lips and tilts back his head while his mouth moves as though drinking. Meanwhile the lid of the pot opens and a white kitten emerges, sticks out its tongue and descends again before the chef has time to notice. - Although rarely intended as children's playthings, automata were often inspired by childhood themes. The "Cuisinier" by Gustave Vichy is a good example of an automaton based on a nursery rhyme - the story of "La Mère Michel" and her unfortunate cat, which is cooked and served by her neighbor, the rascally chef Lustucru. In Vichy's retelling of the story, the cat is decidedly more animated!

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)