With papier-mâché head, green glass eyes, articulated mouth and carved wood hands holding pipe and rod, perched on sculpted papier-mâché bank above a reflecting pond with glass surface shaded by an apple tree. The fisherman dressed in his original well-preserved green satin jacket, velvet hat and cream-colored breeches trimmed with lace, ribbons and Dresden paper, on ebonized base housing going-barrel motor stamped "J. Phalibois à Paris", eight wood cams, pulley and 2-air pull-string cylinder movement stamped "J. PHALIBOIS", under antique glass dome, ht. 26 in. (66 cm), with modern key, light wear on jacket back and sleeve, one governor blade repaired. - The fisherman turns and nods his head, brings the pipe to his mouth in a philosophical manner, curls his upper lip and dips his rod as a speckled orange carp flits back and forth beneath the pond's surface. - Literature: Mary Hillier, "Automata and Mechanical Toys", p. 114. - No. 2265 in Silver & Fleming's 1884 catalog. - A rare and humorous automaton in good original working condition.