Singing bird cage with key
Singing bird cage with key
Austro-Hungary
The 19th century
Metal, steel, brass, painted feathers; gilding, engraving, casting, mechanical works
23 x 10.7 x 10.7 cm
Singing bird cage is mounted on octagonal base from gilded metal, with facets of light green guilloché enamel, with the frames decorated by pearls on wide sides, with inclined ribbed cornice, with the plinth of small beads, on four ornately shaped feet. Gilded cage with four fluted columns with Corinthian capitals topped by urns with ring-shaped handles, with openwork dome ornamented by pearls and four petals of light green guilloche enamel beneath the pendant with ring. Twisted and wavy rods with pearls are in the arches between columns. Twisted rack with the bird sitting on it is on the upper panel with volumetric foliage ornament. The miniature bird with red, brown, dark blue, yellow and green feathers swirls in place, flaps its wings, opens and closes the beak. The sound movement imitates sonorous bird chirping. The case bottom panel surface is covered with engraving in the shape of diverging from a flower rays. Retractable goldish lever for activating the bird mechanism is on the base lateral side. The bird movement is spring driven with fusee - system of the movement stabilization. Gilded key with light blue enamel over guilloche head, chain and square pin is in the set.
Инв.6258.1-2/ДПИ