The rectangular box finely chased on the cover in vari-color gold with a bouquet of flowers in octagonal reserve surrounded by scrolling foliage, all on sablé ground, the sides and base with engine-turned reserves bordered by chased formal foliage.

The cover opening to reveal a chased four-color gold automaton scene, depicting the Magician wearing a tall conical hat, with moving wand, in his right hand and a book of spells which he consults in his left, his wand points towards a window hidden by a moving branch in a gnarled tree, on the right a seated youth plays a lyre, the ground scattered with a book and skull and cross bones, while a coiled serpent sits on an inscribed scroll on a rock, the background finely enameled with a waterfall beside a classical arcaded building. The right hand side of the box with two drawers, the lower containing six double-sided gold and enamel tablets of questions which are selected to include in the smaller drawer above mechanism. A single barrel drives the music and automaton, pushing a slide on the left side this sets in motion the automaton and music. Pinned barrel and comb with two tunes selected via a slide to the case back. The automaton: composed of four wheels with cams engaging five articulated arms to produce the motion to the figures, with three arms engaging a separate wheel to convey the movement to the magician in sync, the branch attached through the plate to a toothed wheel engaged by a ratcheted arm, all sandwiched between two thin brass plates; the answer wheel: activated by the tablets carrying the questions, the tablets are pierced with holes at the ends, with differing but precise lengths, five of the six tablets carry on both sides a question to which corresponds a hole which opens at the base and left of the drawer, a plunger enters the hole, the plunger is attached to a chain pulley turning a gear to rotate the plate to the intended position, held in place with a spring to a toothed wheel to the underside of the answer wheel.

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