7 Oct 2010
13:00 EDT
New York
Magnificent Mechanical Musical Instruments and Automata
Back to auction 18556
Magnificent Mechanical Musical Instruments and Automata
Back to auction 18556
A Polyphon Savoyard coin-operated disc music box automaton,
Circa 1900, Style 100 playing 11.1/4-inch disks, 'The Organ-Grinder',
No. 30983, with sublime-harmony combs, one with the etched comb cover, front-crank wind to the organ-form case with twelve faux sycamore pipes to hinged front panel, the top with white enamel plate with coin slot to centre and Einwurf 1 Kreuzer legend plaque, circular maker's plaque to front, on X supports, the country maiden once more making an appearance as the standing figure behind, cranking the 'organ' with right hand from the connecting rod crank from the motor, on polished mahogany box base with small front storage drawer for the disks, with crank and panel keys -
5' high 2'wide 2'4"deep
No. 30983, with sublime-harmony combs, one with the etched comb cover, front-crank wind to the organ-form case with twelve faux sycamore pipes to hinged front panel, the top with white enamel plate with coin slot to centre and Einwurf 1 Kreuzer legend plaque, circular maker's plaque to front, on X supports, the country maiden once more making an appearance as the standing figure behind, cranking the 'organ' with right hand from the connecting rod crank from the motor, on polished mahogany box base with small front storage drawer for the disks, with crank and panel keys -
5' high 2'wide 2'4"deep
Sold for
US$ 27,450
inc. premium
Footnotes
- Reference:
Encyclopedia of Automatic Musical Instruments, Q. David Bowers, 1972, pp.149
Footnote:
Just with the previous lot, the automaton action of the hand-crank motion is driven from the music box motor. The organ detail, reinforced by the faux pipes to the front, is realistic and from a distance the unsuspecting viewer is lulled into the deception that he can hear music from an organ when in fact closer inspection will reveal that the sound comes entirely from the disk being played within the case.
Category: Collectibles / Collectors General
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