Lot Essay
Singing bird boxes with a seperate musical mechanisms are rare. This one may be date ca. 1808-1809.
Details
FRERES ROCHAT. A FINE AND RARE EARLY 19TH CENTURY GOLD AND ENAMEL MUSICAL SINGING-BIRD BOX
The rectangular case with finely engine-turned, chased and engraved surfaces decorated with opaque blue enamel floral and scroll patterns on matted background, the hinged lid opening to reveal the inner engine-turned cover with winding holes, the oval cover to the bird with enamel wreath decoration centred by a classical male bust in high relief, opening to reveal the bird with unusual polychrome enamel dust cover with floral decoration, the hinged base with adhesive label inscribed "Collection S Bulgari, Rome" and casemakers stamp of Moulinie, Bautte et Companie, numbered 2823, the bird actuated by a slide in the band flapping its wings, wagging its tail, opening its beak, turning its head and rotating on its axis, the fusée mechanism with makers stamp, the seperate musical section actuated by a second slide in the band with two banks of eight seperate teeth operated by the pin barrel, with restorations
The rectangular case with finely engine-turned, chased and engraved surfaces decorated with opaque blue enamel floral and scroll patterns on matted background, the hinged lid opening to reveal the inner engine-turned cover with winding holes, the oval cover to the bird with enamel wreath decoration centred by a classical male bust in high relief, opening to reveal the bird with unusual polychrome enamel dust cover with floral decoration, the hinged base with adhesive label inscribed "Collection S Bulgari, Rome" and casemakers stamp of Moulinie, Bautte et Companie, numbered 2823, the bird actuated by a slide in the band flapping its wings, wagging its tail, opening its beak, turning its head and rotating on its axis, the fusée mechanism with makers stamp, the seperate musical section actuated by a second slide in the band with two banks of eight seperate teeth operated by the pin barrel, with restorations