Arthur S. Lewis
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SINGING BIRD NECESSAIRE ( 1840 )
| Dimensions: | 40.64cm wide 17.78cm high 27.94cm deep (16.00 inches wide 7.00 inches high 11.00 inches deep) |
| Description: |
Magnificent brass and mother-of-pearl inlaid casket with a rising lid revealing a pair of mirrored doors behind which is a photograph gallery. The doors have ormolu mounts and a blue quilted background embellished with scalloped gold and white gold thread. The powder blue necessaire contains a scissors, thimble, bodkins and thread reels with two glass bottles embellished with gilt rims and decorated with stars. There are numerous pockets and covered recesses the lids having ormolu handles the quality of this piece is obviously superb. The beautiful central protruding oval with gilt wire filigree work contains the singing bird which is operated by a lever on the right-hand side of the box. When the lever is lifted, the lid is raised and the bird emerges, turns, flaps it’s wings opens it’s beak and sings a most realistic bird song. This fine movement is unsigned but is the work of a superb craftsman, possibly made for royalty and is the only one of it’s kind to be seen on the market for the last fifty years. A key winds the large clockwork motor to the right side of the box. |
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