Set of Four Black-Forest Automaton Organ Figures, c. 1840

By Ignaz Bruder or successors. Carved and polychrome painted figures on oak stage-form base containing wood driving wheel, steel shaft, pinned brass wheel, rack-and-pinion gear and cam, base 9 x 16 ½ x ht. 2 ½ in. (23 x 41.5 x 6.5 cm), figures approx. 7 in. (17.8 cm), original painted surfaces flaking, losses, in need of conservation. – Left to right the figures depict: 'the bird man' with articulated right hand, crow in basket and bearded mask which lifts to reveal a younger man; fiddler with articulated eyes and right hand, (violin and bow detached); snake charmer with articulated mouth, tongue, eyes and coiled snake; female money-collector with rotating axis, nodding head and articulated right arm, holding a baby in her left arm, (missing hand, baby detached). Not all movements active. – Literature: Herbert Jüttemann, "Kleinode aus Waldkirch, Figuren-Drehorgeln von Ignaz Bruder und seinen Nachkommen", p. 78. – A rare set of original Black-Forest figures for the restoration of a Waldkirch organ or display in their own right.

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)