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Click here to subscribeA GEORGE III OAK EIGHT DAY LONGCASE CLOCK, box hood with twin cylindrical columns, the 10'' dial with an arched automaton movement, Roman and Arabic numerals, seconds dial, signed William Stevens, Cirencester, on a plain trunk, height 215cm (repair to arch on dial) (two weights, pendulum and two winding keys)
A 19th Century French antique mantel clock having two ormolu bronze figurines of cherubs to top with front ormolu panel embossed decoration of cherubs and flowers. White enamel cartouche Roman numerals with faceted hands. Inset fountain / font to base with moving water. Measures: 36cm tall. Please note we are unable to tell if the clock is an automaton however the water from font does move.
A RARE FRENCH BRASS AND SILVERED TORPEDO INDUSTRIAL TIMEPIECE WITH AUTOMATON LATE 19TH / EARLY 20TH CENTURY with an automaton propeller, the eight day brass drum movement with a lever escapement, stamped '4624' and '93', the silvered dial with Roman numerals and pierced hands, the case in the form of a torpedo hung on chains with pullies, the base with nautical themed decoration, an anchor, a life buoy, a shell and a ship's wheel, the centre inset with a compass, signed 'Radiguet Paris', on a stepped rosso antico marble base and turned brass feet 36.2cm high, 46.2cm wide LITERATURE Derek Roberts, Mystery, Novelty & Fantasy Clocks, p.256, fig.22-6, c. for a similar example. CATALOGUE NOTE This model was probably based on the Whitehead torpedo, the world's first self-propelled torpedo.
* Locomotive clock. A fine French automaton clock c.1900, the brass case with circular enamel dial with black Roman numerals and two winding holes, a circular aneroid barometer and thermometer applied to the chimney, appears to be in good working condition with a pleasing chime, 43cm long x 39cm high, with keyQty: (1) NOTE: Unfortunately, this lot is not as old as we initially believed. It is a modern representation and therefore please be aware we are selling this lot as Edwardian style and not subject to any return
Leopold Lambert Tambourine Dancer Musical Automaton, French circa 1890With closed mouth Jumeau bisque head stamped in red Depose Tete Jumeau, fixed blue paperweight eyes, pierced ears and long black hair, bisque breastplate and lower arms, the dancer standing on a felt covered wooden base housing mechanism with LB key and stop/start, when wound the musical movement plays one air whilst the figure shakes the tambourine held in her right hand above her head, the other on her hip while bending at the waist from side to side and moving her head, wearing original pale pink satin dress, black bolero and matching hat, all with applied and hung metal beads and gold metal decoration, 53cm (21in) tall.Footnotes:Provenance: Sotheby's, London, Important Automata, Dolls and Toys, 15 September 1993, lot 333Literature: see Automata: The Golden Age, 1848-1914 by Christian Bailey, page 173 and 340 for a comparable pieceThis lot is subject to the following lot symbols: ** VAT on imported items at a preferential rate of 5% on Hammer Price and the prevailing rate on Buyer's Premium.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
Fur covered automaton seated bear, knitting, four continental child's sporting teddy bear decorated cups the bears playing cricket, golf and football, three matching saucers and four matching tea plates Condition ReportOne cup is cracked, another has a large chip to the base and another has a smaller chip to the bottom. There is some wear to the pattern in parts more so to the edges. See attached images.
A charming antique 19th century likely French or German made automaton style bisque headed doll on a horse and trap / cart toy. The doll with a bisque head, with no makers marks present. The horse of cast iron construction and the cart of wooden form with straw-work sides. Originally when the cart moves, the dolls hands would move up and down. The mechanism still present and in working order, but doesn't work whilst pulled along. A charming display / antique toy. Measures approx; 49cm long.
SWISS AUTOMATON CLOCK, late 19th century, depicting an alpine village scene with a working tower clock above Cupid fashioning his arrows, the reverse stamped 'Didisheim Goldschmidt Fils & Co. Swiss Metal Dore, Fabr. Suisse' and titled 'Idylle au village, fab. Suisse', serial number 57465, probably watercolour on a printed base on ivorine, clock height 8cm, width 10.5cm (with base 11cm x 13cm)
OAK AND WALNUT LONGCASE CLOCK, the brass dial with an 11 1/2" silvered chapter ring inscribed Jno Follit Lichfield beneath a Time Fliest Automaton to the arch, subsidiary seconds dial and date aperture, on a brass, eight day, four pillar movement striking hourly to a bell, the hood with an arched door and columns, with weights and pendulum, height 229cm
A Coin Operated Double Singing Bird in Cage Automaton, probably by J Phalibois, French, circa 1890, the two birds with moving heads, beaks and tail feathers synchronized to the birdsong, under a gilt brass cage with one penny coin entry shoot, on a canted rectangular mahogany base with gilt brass mounts, 58cm high See illustration For a similar example see Tennants Spring Fine Sale, 21 March 2020, lot 225. the cage slightly skewed , the moulded edge of the wooden base slightly split above the drawer, birds a little tired/dusty, the mechanism in good working order
A Roullet & Decamps Monkey Automaton Guitarist in working order with R & D key (please note R & D key does not win monkey but a working winding key is supplied).Please visit http://www.unique-auctions.com/roullet-decamps-monkey-automaton-guitarist/ to view video of the Roullet & Decamps Monkey Automaton Guitarist in action.
A GOLD PLATED OPEN FACE POCKET WATCH WITH MUSICAL AUTOMATON AND ALARM BY REUGE, the circular polychrome dial depicting a pastoral scene, with gilt automata of a falconer raising and lowering his arm, seated upon a horse drinking from a trough, accompanied by a lady operating a water pump, to a jewelled manual wind movement and pin barrel musical movement, the case decorated with musical instruments and foliage, numbered 1379, with alarm pusher at 11, dial and case signed, with key, case diameter 5.6cm
A fine and rare French gilt brass singing bird automaton carriage clock Japy Freres for Henry Marc, Paris, circa 1860The eight-day twin train bell striking movement with platform lever escapement and stamped with oval trademark JAPY FRERES ET CIE, EXPOSITION, 1855 GRANDE,MED., D'HONNEUR over another H'Y MARC, PARIS and serial numbers 43 and 31199 to lower margin, the under-dial motionwork with counterweighted detent for the hourly release of the going barrel-driven musical mechanism for sounding a two-note bird call and with twin linkages at the rear for operating the two movements of the bird automaton above, the rectangular white enamel Roman numeral dial with blued steel moon hands and inscribed H'RY MARC, PARIS to lower margin, the two tier gilt brass bevel-glazed case with foliate scroll-cast hinged carrying handle to the one-piece caddy moulded upper section enclosing automaton of a bird perched within foliate next to a nest with eggs which moves from side to side and bobs up and down whilst the musical mechanism in the base in running, with cavetto skirt set onto to top of the lower tier with platform incorporating projecting rounded corners applied with artichoke finials over free-standing slender baluster corner columns with leafy caps and waists, on shaped stepped plinth base with scroll cast band and projecting rounded angles to support the columns, the right hand side with musical mechanism winding square over lever for allowing the musical mechanism to be operated at will, on four disc turned feet, 28.5cm (11.25ins) high. Provenance: The beneficiary of the Estate of a private collector, East Midlands. The firm of Japy Freres et Cie was founded by Frederick Japy in 1774 who set-up a modest workshop in Montbeliard as a watch and machine tool maker. Japy expanded his business rapidly and by 1804, the year he was awarded the Legion d Honneur by Napoleon (in recognition for his Brevets in horological machinery), he employed 300 people at his manufactory in Beaucourt. From 1806, he took five of his sons into partnership and the firm expanded adding buildings at Badevel and La Feschotte amongst others to become one of the largest makers of clocks in Europe. The business continued into the Twentieth century but during the inter-war period went into decline and is thought to have finally wound-up in around 1840. A detailed history of Japy Freres et Cie is provided in Allix, Charles and Bonnert, Peter CARRIAGE CLOCKS, Their history and development chapter VI pages 133-48. Henry Marc is also noted by noted in Allix as probably a retailer of various mantel and other small clocks and refers to a relatively early carriage clock (number 26886) supplied to Marc by Japy Freres. The current lot is rare example from a small series of Oiseaux Chantant automaton clocks produced by Japy Freres during the 1860's-70's. Charles Allix (on page 222) comments that the musical automata were probably not made at Saint-Nicholas d'Aliermont as there is no record of the manufacture of such mechanisms taking place in the area, hence it is likely that these parts of the clock were supplied from workshops either in the Franche-Comte or Switzerland. A closely comparable example was offered at Christies, South Kensington sale of The Dr. Eugene and Rose Antelis Collection of Important French Carriage Clocks Thursday 26th November 1998 (lot 101) whilst another, albeit a rarer variant with centre seconds was sold at Antiquorum, Geneva sale of Important Modern and Vintage Timepieces 11th November 2012 (lot 294) for and astonishing $50,994.Condition Report: The clock movement appears complete, original and is in clean condition. The escapement will beat but is prone to stopping suggesting a service is required; the strike train is working. The release mechanism for the singing bird automaton (positioned on the front of the frontplate) is present but is not currently operational and appears to have some solder repairs/adjustments. The singing bird mechanism will wind and run when the override/release lever in the base is engaged however it would appear that only one note and one (of the two) actions are operational. We are unable to gain access to the musical mechanism to assess its condition/originality.The dial appears free of visible faults. The section of the case housing the clock movement and dial appears to have been re-gilded whilst the upper section has not. The castings around the base (housing the music movement) are a little uneven with some flaws in the casting apparent. The winding square for the automaton mechanism is a little misaligned with in relation to its hole which coupled with the unevenness of the castings would appear a little crude for a clock of this specification however they do not appear to be indicative of obvious alteration. The bird automaton and its setting are in good condition and both actions of the bird a will operate when the linkages are moved. The section of the case which houses the automaton is in good condition however there is a small notch cut to the lower front edge, the purpose of this is unknown. All glasses to the case appear free from visible damage however there is some unevenness in the execution of the bevelling.The current lot is generally intact but has the feel of having had some restoration work done in the recent past which could account for some of the misalignment of the elements in the base of the case. The small notch cut to the lower edge of the automaton case (at the junction with top of the clock case) is a mystery but does not seem to be indicative of significant adaptation. These details may cause some to doubt the overall authenticity of the clock however we cannot see any direct evidence to support this view although we have not been able to take the base section of the case apart to investigate further.There is no winding key present with this clock. Condition Report Disclaimer
A French Louis XVI ormolu mounted Gris St Anne marble mantel clock with concentric calendarSigned for Martinet, London, late 18th centuryThe circular two train countwheel bell striking movement with anchor escapement regulated by disc bob pendulum, the circular white enamel Roman numeral dial signed Martinet, LONDON to centre and with puce Arabic date-of-the-month concentric calendar track within Arabic five minutes to outer track, with pierced and engraved hour and minute hands and steel calendar indicator within bead-bordered gilt brass hinged convex-glazed bezel, the break-arch case with generous laurel tied quiver and torch cast surmount to the gilt gadroon moulded platform upstand over draped laurel trails to arch and acanthus side mounts to shoulders, the front with symmetrical scroll decorated recessed panel flanked by husk stop-fluted uprights beneath dial and generous floral conucopiae mounts to sides, on D-ended inverted breakfronted plinth base inset with laurel trails to centre and sides and applied with rectangular rosettes over the substantial gilt squab feet between, 47cm (18.5ins) high. Hubert Martinet is a fine but enigmatic clockmaker who was active both in London and Paris during the 1770's and 1780's. Although little is recorded of his specific activities it is known that he worked as both a horloger and a mercier and was probably a descendant of the Martinot clockmaking family the first of whom was Gilbert Martinot who is recorded as clockmaker to Henry III in 1572.Hubert Martinet is perhaps best known for his magnificent musical automaton elephant clock of 1774 which resides in the at Waddeston Manor. Martinet is also mentioned by Geoffrey de Bellaigue as a marchand-bijoutier of another elephant clock formerly in the Rothschild collection; this example being a rare gilt bronze and Meissen porcelain example signed Gudin on the dial. In addition to these Bellaingne also mentions Trois pendules d'Eléphant finies 5000 (livres) included in an inventory of Martinet's stock drawn up after bankruptcy on 7th June 1777. One of these, featuring a white porcelain elephant ridden by a black mahout and surmounted by a Turk, had previously belonged to the marquis de Béringhen. Condition Report: The movement is in relatively clean working condition with no visible evidence of alteration except for the 19th conversion from silk pendulum suspension to Brocot type with regulation. A clean and overhaul is advised as clock appears not to have been in use for a while (despite being in clean condition). Dial has some slight chipping around the right hand winding hole, the edge of the dial at 1 o'clock also has some slight chipping and there are several very slight radial hairlines within the outer margin of the dial. The provision of a regulation square at the apex above XII numeral has required some slight removal (crescent-shaped section) of enamel to create clearance.Case is generally in good condition with noticeable faults limited to one of the small gilt mounts applied to the flutes of the pilasters (below dial to left) lacking as well as half of the section of laurel to the right hand side skirt panel and a section of ribbon (around the cornucopia) to the right hand side. The overall colour and crispness of the mounts are fine with minimal wear/degradation to the finish and the marble appears free from visible cracks or repairs and has minimal edge wear/chipping.Clock has pendulum but no winder. Condition Report Disclaimer
An unusual Regency balloon-shaped automata timepiece with picture dialHayter, early 19th centuryThe small five pillar back-wound single fusee short duration movement with verge escapement regulated by sprung five-arm steel flat rim balance set beneath a scroll engraved cock applied to the stylised leafy spray engraved backplate signed HAYTER to a scroll banner within geometric border, applied directly to the rear of 6 inch circular dial plate painted with a landscape scene with figures before a church with unusual belfry to the tower and incorporating the small circular gilt on black Roman numeral chapter disc with gilt spade hands, the distance with a windmill tower on top of a hill fitted with an arbor driven by an auxiliary wheel within the movement for operating a rotating windmill sail automaton, set within hinged cast brass bezel into the balloon-shaped case edged in boxwood and with shaped door incorporating circular glazed aperture to rear over cavetto moulded skirt base with bun feet, (unrestored, windmill sails for automata and bezel glass lacking) 37cm (14.5ins) high. A Samuel Hayter is recorded in Loomes, Brian Watchakers & Clockmakers of the World, Volume 2 as also an organist working in Mere, Wiltshire in 1842. The current lot is an unusual timepiece which has survived in sound unrestored condition. The movement appears to have been specifically made with an additional wheel to the train to provide an arbor to operate the windmill sail automaton, however it is otherwise constructed in a similar manner as short duration movements often seen in Regency period sedan timepieces or miniature mantel clocks. As of yet the location of the landscape view to the dial is unidentified, although it may be an imaginary composition distinctive features such as the belfry cupola to the church tower would assist in identification if the scene if it was painted from life.
A 1950s design gilt-brass ImHof novelty clock/cigarette dispenser with musical automaton doors, 16 cm high to/w a German Art Nouveau green lustre glass inkwell of ribbed mushroom form with organic copper hinged cover, two camping spirit stoves, a boxed set of scale-weights and an early 19th century alphabet sampler by Margaret Cross, aged 9 (6)
A VICTORIAN AUTOMATON MUSICAL CLOCK UNDER GLASS DOME, clock movement set within a tower, enamel dial, Roman numerals, eight day movement, bell strike, features a water wheel, windmill, train with carriages and a boat, with a key and pendulum, heard ticking and chiming but automaton and musical movement needs attention, height to top of dome 61cm x width to base 50cm
A Roullet et Decamps Rabbit in Cabbage Automaton ****Condition report**** The Roullet et Decamps Rabbit in Cabbage automaton is in full working order, with a single air musical movement, the rabbit rises from the centre of the cabbage and opens and closes its mouth. Leaves has some fading and staining. Has key but not original. It is good condition for age.
A late 19th century German automaton mantel clock with simple movement, applied paper dial and with case set with a quartet of musicians playing violins and a cello, height 48cm. Additional InformationThe clock is currently not functional, but we do not have a key to wind the movement/mechanism. The back panel is missing, dial is in poor condition with paper peeling and stains.
A 19th century Continental novelty landscape 'automaton' musical clock, the picture painted with a North European townscape, the church's tower enclosing a 2.5cm white enamel dial inscribed with Roman numerals and flanked by a pair of twin-winding holes, the oil on canvas 52.5cm x 64cm, contemporary giltwood cavetto frame, 68.5cm x 80.5cm overall, c. 1860
A GEORGE III MAHOGANY AND INLAID EIGHT DAY LONGCASE CLOCK, the hood with swan neck pediment flanked by fluted columns, distressed and dismantled painted arched dial/movement with automaton movement, Arabic numerals with subsidiary date aperture and seconds dial, dial diameter 32cm, height 238cm (sd, losses) (two weights, winding keys, pendulum)
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