Musical Automaton Advocate by Edouard Henry Phalibois , c. 1895

With papier-mâché head, brown glass eyes with articulated lids, hinged jaw with inset teeth and tongue, white mohair wig, whiskers and beard, standing behind a pine rostrum, with three-air cylinder musical movement and seven-cam going-barrel automaton movement, dressed in black silk ermine-trimmed robes, ht. 29 in. (74 cm), paint restored, rostrum possibly an old replacement. – A large and very animated piece, the Advocate was advertised in the catalog of Gustav Uhlig of Halle, Saxony, as "near-natural" and "suitable for any business that wishes to use it for advertising purposes". – The figure looks around, blinks and raises a document which he inclines his head to read. His left hand sweeps up and down and then in a circular motion as he beats the document and moves his mouth as though delivering a lively speech. – Rare 'occupational' automaton, in excellent working order. – Literature: Similar pieces illustrated in: Chapuis & Droz, "Automata, An Historical and Technical Study", p. 337; Bailly, "Automata, the Golden Age", p. 167; Uhlig catalog reproduced in Bowers, "Encyclopedia of Automatic Musical Instruments", p. 78.

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)