Turtle-shaped singing bird box
Turtle-shaped singing bird box
Germany, Hanau
circa 1950
J. Kurz & Co.
Silver, brass, steel, enamel, feathers; chasing, casting
7 х 16.5 х 8 сm, 594 g
On the movement mounting plate: "1863", on the rear shell side: "800", German silver marks: a half-moon, a crown, maker's mark “J K” with a swan between the letters
Singing bird box in silver case in a form of a turtle with a head and four paws, with chasing imitating a tortoise shell surface. An oval aperture with a hinged lid with a singing bird inside is on the tortoise shell top. An aperture for the bird's movement winding and four screw heads are on the turtle’s belly. A pin for turning on/off the bird’s movement is on the rear side. When the movement is switched on, the turtle's head moves, the lid opens, the miniature bird in the painted feathers of green, blue, black and red-brown colours turns on the spot, flaps its wings, waves its tail, opens and closes its beak. The sound mechanism imitates bird’s chirping. At the end of the program, the bird is hidden in the groove in the openwork gilded lattice and the lid is closed.
Инв.3383/ДПИ