A very naturalistic and large antique single singing bird-in-cage, by Phallibois,

 

Circa 1890,

 

Announcing the dawn...

 

When wound and start/stop lever actuated, the perched naturalistic bird moving real beak, bobbing tailfeather and head from side-to-side to true-to-life continuous synchronised birdsong.

The bird with retained feathered plumage in dove grey, cream and black with flash-red to head, upon brass T perch delicately adorned with stained silk and twisted paper flowers and leaves, original soft green covered base, under attractive circular domes cage with hoop and boss top, twin intermediate acanthus leaf pressed cage bands, on very substantial and beautifully proportioned gilt gesso base with stepped acanthus leaf frieze above proud egg and ribbon chase moulded plinth base, start/stop lever with ball terminal from cage bar edge, key-wind spindle to side.

 

23in. high, 12in. base width - (58.5 x 30.5cm)

 

Point of interest -   

 

In the very first years of singing bird movement technology, the genius behind the milling of the cams would sit in the woodland and listen to the birds, noting down quickly with quill a rough guide to tone, speed and melodic pattern heard in an attempt to place the finished 'recording' on a cut cam.

By listening to this singing bird cage, it is clear that a lot more time and effort has been taken to put realism of sound at the heart of this example.  The loose phases suddenly developing into catchy fast and slow passages, makes for a memorable birdsong not often heard.