Equilibrist No. 1 Automaton by Vichy, c. 1900

With plaster-composition head, original paint, fixed brown glass eyes, papier-mâché body with articulated shoulders and knees, ten-runged ladder, going-barrel motor with five cams and four-air cartel cylinder musical movement (comb missing one tooth), on makeshift replacement base, figure 18 in. (46 cm), in upright position 34 ¾ in. (88 cm). - Note: The figure is designed to perform a handstand on the swaying ladder, lift his right hand in the air and look up for applause. This example is offered in unrestored condition. There are unstable losses to the forehead and the nape of the neck and the figure is missing his left hand. The motor (untested) and the musical movement are loose. The levers for the figure have been disconnected and the lever for the ladder, the stop / start rod and the linkages are missing. - Literature: For an analysis of Vichy’s equilibrist, see Michael Start, "Secrets of Automata" (2023), pp. 138-141. - A scarce automaton, worthy of sympathetic restoration.

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)