Antique Tortoiseshell singing bird box, most probably by Bontems

A antique tortoiseshell and composition singing bird box, by Bontems,
 
Circa 1880,
 
Going-barrel movement,
 
Serial number 247,
 
A bright flash of turquoise...
 
When wound and the start/stop slide moved to the right, the bird emerges proudly through finely pressed and pierced gilded grille and then moves bone beak, wings, tailfeather and body from side-to-side to continuous synchronised birdsong.
The bird with layered feathered plumage in brown-oban, gold and turquoise, banded iridescent highlights in green and red, matt polished lid interior in streaked anomaly tortoiseshell and part composition case with gilt lid top finely engraved with a pair of birds on flowering branch, arched point-and-star tooled border, hidden key compartment to rear.
 
3.7/8in. wide, 2.1/4in. deep, 1.1/2in. high - (9.8 x 7.4 x 3.8cm)
 
Point of interest -
 
The use of both composition and tortoiseshell for cases was quite common.  The composition would comprise mostly tortoiseshell and to many, is nicknamed the first plastic produced.  In real terms, composition comprises smaller loose material bound together with melted tortoiseshell and structural compounds.  Not always produced towards the end of the company history, this movement type and serial number shows this left the premises in the middle of the second batch run.

 

STOCK No1712
AVAILABILITYIn stock
PRICE£5,450.00
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75 Portobello Road London W11 2QB 0207 221 1121 07967 385258
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