BONTEMS. A FINE GILT METAL SINGING BIRD BOX WITH ORIGINAL PRESENTATION BOX AND KEY.

RETAILED BY BREGUET, MOVEMENT STAMPED AB FRANCE FOR BONTEMS, CIRCA 1955

Details

BONTEMS. A FINE GILT METAL SINGING BIRD BOX WITH ORIGINAL PRESENTATION BOX AND KEY.

RETAILED BY BREGUET, MOVEMENT STAMPED AB FRANCE FOR BONTEMS, CIRCA 1955
Rectangular gilt brass movement, going barrel and rectangular bellows, rectangular box with four sides and top chased and engraved horizontal and vertical strip design bordered by bead motif, hinged oval lid centered by a floral motif, opening to reveal a colorfully singing bird on a pierced and engraved foliage decorated grill, activated by a slide in the front pancel, the bird rotates on an axis, flap its wings and tail and open its beak, in time to a lifelike imitated bird song, the bird also set with realistically multi-coloured feathers, when the song has finished the bird will automatically retreat inside the box and the lid will close, movement plate stamped AB France for Bontems
94.5mm width, 33mm height, 58.5 depth

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Lot Essay

Accompanied by Breguet 28 Place Vendome, Paris red leather fitted presentation box.

Bontems of Paris was known for both their technical skill in movement making and the likeness to nature of the bird song. For an extensive biography of Bontems and similar illustrations of their work see Flights of Fancy - Mechanical Singing Birds by Sharon & Christian Bailly, pp. 305 - 347.

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