Automata

Musical automaton "Monkey in pineapplle"

    Musical automaton "Monkey in pineapplle"

    France, Paris

    circa 1900

    Roullet & Decamps

    Papier-mache, wood, metal, fabric, lace; mechanical works, painting

    Height 35.5 cm

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    The shoulder-length monkey of painted papier-mache body and wood jaw, natural off-white fur coverage with large brown glass eyes and highlighted facial features, pushing the hinged top of the pineapple with his head, the sprout leaves of two-tone green with convincing surface texture, on the finely and very naturalistically painted finish papier-mache pineapple body with full dimpled texture, in the tones of a ripe fruit, base of straw-wrapped hoop concealing a hidden compartment to underside.
    When wound and start/stop button is actuated, the hinged sprout top of the pineapple begins to open slowly and a small monkey rises up from within the fruit, opening and closing the mouth several times before very suddenly disappearing completely with the top shutting back down, accompanied by a single musical tune.

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    Инв.2565/ММП