Rare Narghile Smoker Musical Automaton by Leopold Lambert, 1920s

With papier-mâché head, original paint, green eyes with dramatic grey outline, curly grey mohair beard and paisley silk turban, sitting cross-legged on velvet-covered base, a teacup in his left hand, in his right a metal mouthpiece connected by silk rope to the water pipe with turned bowl for tobacco, five-cam open-spring motor, cylinder movement playing two airs ("Valencia" and "My Blue Heaven") and bellows, in original cream satin harem paints, cummerbund, red velvet cloak and metallic-trimmed slippers, some dampers in need of adjustment, height 23 in. (58,5 cm). With steel key monogrammed "LB". - The smoker looks from left to right, inclines his head to inhale from the mouthpiece which he lifts in his right hand, looks in the opposite direction to exhale, raises the cup in his left hand, then lowers his head to sip his tea. The smoke is cycled from a brass pipe concealed below the tobacco bowl, through the base and body and exhaled through the mouth. - Literature: André Soriano, "Mechanische Spielfiguren aus den vergangenen Zeiten", 1985, pp. 96-99; Alfred Chapuis & Edmond Droz, "Automata, a Historical and Technological Study", p. 331. - Chapuis and Droz describe a visit in the early part of the 20th century to what was presumably Leopold Lambert's workshop in the rue Portefoin. "Some years ago the present authors found their way into a little workshop in the Cité, in Paris, where a humble workman spent the greater part of his life making smoking automata. These were admirably made and richly dressed and he exported them to all parts of the world." - A large and impressive automaton with dramatic smoking action.

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)