Bird with emerald-green and blue plumage, moving head, beak and tail, in domed cage decorated with figures of exotic birds, pendant garlands and flaming-urn finials supported by slender fluted columns, the ormolu base with canted corners, acanthus leaf frieze, floral relief and four inset Sèvres porcelain panels with scenes of courting couples in a bucolic landscape, with going-barrel movement, whistle, bellows, stop/start and volume control levers, ht. 19 x wd. 9 ¾ (48,5 x 25 cm). With size 8 key. Mechanical singing bird cages embellished with porcelain plaques and figures recall the celebrated designs by Pierre Jaquet-Droz of the late 18th century. Bontems' range of deluxe gilt-bronze cages and clocks decorated with Sèvres panels represented the luxury end of the firm's production. A similar cage, illustrated as Model 525 (Cage à pans coupés) in the Bontems catalog of c. 1910, was priced at 340 Francs in comparison to 126 Francs for a cage of the same dimensions on a giltwood base. The factory-fitted volume control is a rare feature, probably only installed to order upon the customer's wishes. – Literature: Peter G. Schuhknecht, "Mechanische Singvögel" ("Mechanical Singing Birds") for reprint of Bontems' catalog. – An exhibition-quality singing bird automaton, in superb working condition.