Singing Birds

Cage with three singing birds

    Cage with three singing birds

    Switzerland, Sainte-Croix

    Second half of the 20th century

    Reuge

    Wood, steel, brass, leather, colored feathers; wood carving, mechanical work, gilding

    45 x 35 x 65 cm

    On the cage bottom: mark of the firm and inscription “REUGE MUSIC”, “SAINTE – CROIX/MADE IN SWITZERLAND”; near thumb trigger: “STOP/INTER”

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    Cage made from thin metal rods with dome and ball-shaped suspender with ring is mounted on gilded bevelled rectangular socle, decorated with carved foliage ornament and carved plinth, is standing on four round feet. An aperture for the crank is in the right lateral side. Curved thumb trigger with ball-shaped grip pokes out from a slot in the bottom. T-shaped tubular rack enlaced with wire branch with artificial leaves is mounted on the pasted over with sand-colored velvet fabric wooden stand inside the cage. Mechanical bird in brown-black plumage with gray head sits on the rack. Two low racks decorated with artificial leaves are mounted on the base below. Mechanical bird in white-yellow, brown and black feathers sits on one rack, a bird in red and brown feathers – on the other one. Cam mechanism with bellows, small piccolo pipe with movable piston and spring drive is fixed inside the socle. The spring is key-winded. When the movement is activated, the birds warble, turn their heads, open and close their beaks synchronously with the movements of the tails. Winding crank is in the set.

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    Инв. 672.1-2ММП/ДПИ