An astonishing antique gilt metal musical acrobat automaton timepiece,

Devised and built by Jean Robert Houdin,

Timepiece by Japy Frerés,

 

Very fine triple automaton figural automaton action,

 

French, mid 19th century,

 

The acrobat of fancy...

 

 

When key-wind automaton wound and start/stop actuation rod pulled, the central bar acrobat starts his amazing trick of bar skills by rising by his hands to the top to waist height, pausing then letting go to fall back to start position, then raises up to the very top of the bar to do a double full rotation somersault with his legs dangling throughout, flanked by his two musician accompaniments, with one playing the trombone and the other a grand bugle.  After completing his masterful magic, he starts over to perform the trick again and again, never tiring to captivate his audience.  

The cylinder musical movement plays three beautiful melodic and long-lasting passages in 1-2-3 sequence which sets off the action perfectly, actuated by pulling on the rod-tabataire wind also to the right-hand side of the moulded ebonised base. 

The 2-train timepiece with full gilt eight-day four-pillar movement with shaped circular plates, impressed rondo mark to back-plate, striking on the polished bell on the hour and half-hour, superbly presented to the eye within this Houdin masterpiece dressed with the white enamel dial and black Roman numerals, chapter ring and delicate trefoil pierced hands, the winding holes finished with further gilt ring escutcheons.

The automaton figures of three men in finely cast and chased metal, gilt highlights to features including hands, painted in rich yet soft hue colours to the Turkish theme, completed with silk pleated clothes to all and the miniature instruments to the exacting details. 

 

The timepiece movement with shot-filled weighted pendulum, the central circular weight embellished with red hardstone cluster to the slight-domed profile, the whole suspended below the rectangular gilt metal magician platform supported on four massive fluted columns each with Corinthian capitols, with the acrobat bar at the top with two slender and tapering fluted columns finished with flaming torch heads, on raised highly polished shaped rectangular gilt metal base with the repeating cast frieze to edge to that of the platform above, on richly textured and beautifully toned scarlet red silk covered baseboard, turned brass start/stop cap heads and a period winding key.

 

Total height 27in., total width 15in., depth 11in., acrobat reach from platform to feet at the moment of somersault 11.1/2in. - (69 x 38 x 28 x 29cm) 

 

Point of interest -

  

The original magician and mechanical genius, Robert Houdin, devised and built some of the most amazing automatons in history.  Clearly influenced by the likes of Droz and Kempelen, he was a highly successful magician, performing in many theatres before buying up premises on the outskirts of Paris for that purpose.

Famed for producing the fabulous cup and ball disappearing and reappearing object trick clocks, some of his works included the use of performance movement, using figures and water illusions using glass rods.

His ingenuity in working out designs for impressive mechanisms last to this day, abet in a small number of surviving examples which remain complete and in working condition. 

 

This is one of those masterpieces.  The layout of the automaton actions are a credit to the magician.  The driving string route for the musicians is a very complicated affair.  They have to navigate through tiny polished brass pulleys, hoops and junctions before reaching the final hooks.  

The whole drive taken from a precision-made wooden cam block hidden under the base of the architectural timepiece case, with tapered metal pins and running teeth each directing the movement of the contacted-levers which are individually sprung and weighted for perfect control. 

 

Be sure to look carefully at the figures in turn.  The trombonist, whose instrument has been made exacting the full-sized example and his friend who looks towards the audience before quickly turning his head and rising his bugle to play that key note on time. 

And of course, we have the real star of the show - the acrobat.   Cast in top-grade metal, gilded and clothed for the entertainment, his action at key moments is truly outstanding for any automaton standards.  Full rotational somersaults, waist holds and front-falls will be witnessed by those lucky enough to see him.   

 

Being Houdin, this had to be special, and thanks to Houdin, this is as special today as it was when first displayed to the privileged crowds of the mid 19th century.  Share the magic.