A small antique single singing bird-in-cage, by Bontems (Raymy),

First quarter 20th century

Serial number 5652791

Lime green singing dream...

When wound and the start/stop lever actuated, the perched bird bobsup and down and opens and closes his beak. He bobs his tailfeathers and moves his head from side-to-side to continuous synchronised birdsong.

The bird with very naturalistic mirrored feathered plumage in raven black, lime green, grass green, cream and turquoise sits on a brass T perch decorated with cut and swagged trailed ivy leaves.

It has a light powder blue base, under the circular domed cage with hoop and boss top. The base has a  pressed intermediate band with floral tooled decorated frieze, the lower band with a repeating theme, on richly gilded metal pressed base with very crisp detailed double helical floral swag trail above small baulle frieze finish.

There is a start/stop lever actuated from the side and a captive winding key to underside.

Point of interest -

Bird feathering skills have to be of a very good level to ensure the magic is correctly presented to the viewer.  The feathering on this is a very good example of how mirror or book-matched feathered should look like.  The end feathers carrying the same colour, in this case black, have been carefully selected and placed so when layered up, the bird's spine rises from the tip of the tailfeather towards the body.  A similar technique has been used for the bib and wing centres - truly amazing attention to detail.