Fine "Pièce à Oiseau" Musical Box, c. 1890

Playing eight operatic and other airs on two combs of 23 teeth each (complete) and 31-action organ bridge with reeds for the musical accompaniment and wood pipes for the birdsong, singing bird automaton with iridescent plumage, swiveling perch, articulated bone beak, wings, head and tail, two dancing dolls, nickel-plated movement with massive double-springs, compensated governor, tune-indicator, tune-selector and speed control, in figured and veneered case with kingwood banding and inlay of amphorae, flute, flowers and grapes, wd. 26 ½ in. (68 cm), cylinder 11 in. (28 cm), bird approx. 3 in. (8 cm), lid slightly bowed, otherwise in fine restored condition. - Literature: Arthur Ord-Hume, "The Musical Box, a Guide for Collectors", pp. 37, 170. - A rare entry in the annals of the musical box is the "Pièce à Oiseau" which, due to its complexity and costly nature, was produced in rather limited numbers. Ord-Hume records a large example created by Gueissaz Frères for the Shah of Persia in 1896. - In the piece offered here, the automaton bird, flanked by a pair of dancing dolls, turns, sings and flutters in a miniature garden replete with ferns, flowers and a reflecting glass pool. The motifs of music and flowers are continued in the inlaid vignettes on the front and lid. The bird's movements are controlled by two of the keys in the organ bridge and a pair of brass cams mounted ingeniously on the side of the great wheel. - A rare and remarkably exhibition piece.

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)