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S1318
A GOOD WHITE FACED CLOWN WITH MANDOLIN BY LAMBERT
An antique two air musical automaton made by Leopold Lambert of Paris, in the form of a white faced Pierrot playing a mandolin. As the music plays, he sways from side to side and moves his hand over the strings.
The winding key is pierced to form the initials "LB", which stand for Leopold Lambert himself, and also his wife, Eugenie Maria Bourgeois, whom he married in 1876, and who was a seamstress by trade. She was a very important part of the business, as she dressed the automata her husband created.
This automaton still has his original white silk trouser suit and hat. The coat and trousers are trimmed with lace, also pink silk ribbon and bobbles. He has a pink silk cummerbund, and pink socks, with white shoes. He stands on a square red plush covered base which contains the musical movement, and is 20 inches high.
The back of the porcelain head bears the impressed marks "TBJ", number"225", and place of manufacture, "Paris". The markings are part of the letters SFBJ, which stand for Societe Francaise de Fabrication de Bebes et Jouets, a company formed in 1899. "225" is a rare character mould.
The tunes played are "Valencia" & "on the Riviera".
There is a label on the base bearing the retailer’s name and address as follows, "Au Nain Bleu, G. Fauvet, Paris".
Price, inclusive £4,500
