Silver-gilt, enamel, garnet and split-seed pearl mounted singing bird box, by Karl Griesbaum
A fantastic vintage silver-gilt, enamel, garnet and split-seed pearl mounted singing bird box, by Karl Griesbaum,
German
second quarter 20th century
The world-famous Austro-Hungarian Model No. 11,
Garnet crested perfection, Karl Griesbaum excellence...
When wound by inserting the deep spindled Griesbaum key into underside and the bird-form capped start/stop rod pulled out, the heavily mounted bird lid opens as the bird appears, moving polished metal beak, flapping both wings, bobbing tailfeather and turning whole body from side-to-side, perfectly synchronised to the continuous birdsong, ending when the bird disappears as the lid closes.
The bird with majestic pastel-toned feathered plumage with streaked hues of dusky black, running into soft lilac, with a yellow band across the back and a touch of green to breast, rising up through the finely pierced and tooled gilt grille with bird-form centrum, lid interior with trademark leaf swag engraving surrounding central flower head boss.
In the stunning large and imposing casket-form case with the bird lid having plain oval field of deep cobalt blue enamel, topped with raised double flowerhead and fretted mount set with four pearls, crowned with circular cut garnet, inset surround with twin tooled frame, flanked by the main lid of opposing shaped enamelled fields in cobalt, each with scrolling floral mounts also topped with large garnets cut to the rectangular form, flowers with pearl centres.
All framed by the outstanding wide tooled margin with interlacing serpentine arcs, continuing to front, rear and side edges, which compliment beautifully with the matching lozenge cobalt blue enamel panels to each side, again embellished with full-width scrolling floral mounts with pearl highlights to middles and the large garnets providing colour to front and rear centres, raised margins with petit-point tooling.
On the angled plinth base, with each sloped plane with chased three-dimensional scrolls and leaves, the central key drawer with half hoop grip, on large sweeping mount highlighted with further pearls, opening to reveal great attention to detail with radial engine-turned ground including drawer sides.
Corners with particularly fine wedge mounts, pierced and chased with tiny flowerheads, leaves and hoops with a perfect heart-cut garnet, cloudy-toned pearls to finish, on four toed feet.
Underside with highly-polished teak panel, winding hole escutcheon of pierced blacked metal, held in place with gilded flowerhead screws.
size -
5.3/4in. wide, 4.3/8in deep, 3.3/4in. high - (14.5 x 11 x 9.5cm)
Point of Interest -
Another casket of delight from Karl Griesbaum presented to the world by Douglas Fisher of London.
We have a habit of selling these. The last one offered, seen in the high-Rococo taste in green enamel, topped with emeralds, lasted in our gallery for a matter of hours.
And you can see why they are appealing to both the collector and the single-purchase buyer. Large, excellently proportioned, superb movement providing a clear and crisp melodic tone and the extra special pleasure this model excels in - the use of precious stones set into a case designed and made totally from scratch and not repeated on any other box. No two Model 11's are the same. Take a good look at this.
What a wonderful singing bird box, ready and waiting for its next admirer.
| STOCK No | 1580 |
| AVAILABILITY | Sold |
| PRICE | Sold |
75 Portobello Road London W11 2QB 0207 221 1121 07967 385258
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