Important Collectors’ Wristwatches, P...

Geneva, Oct 04, 2009

LOT 172

Les Danceurs ? Automaton Musical Cabinet Mermod Frères, Sainte-Croix, Swiss. Made circa 1900 for the American market, U.S.A. patent September 25th, 1894. Very fine and very rare, ?penny in the slot?, illuminated musical cabinet playing 10 airs in succession and with six automaton dancing dolls.

C. Rectangular, hinged and glazed front door with pierced sound fret and flanked by ebonised pillasters, coin slot to the upper right, side with pierced sound frets, broken-arch cresting with acorn finials, molded base, the interior with drawer for coin collection, tune sheet insdie right. M. 60 x 17 cm, large cast bed inscribed ?U.S.A. patent, Sept 25th, 1894?, massive going barrel wound by a crank handle, fly governor with slow/fast adjustment, 35 cm pinned cylinder playing 10 tunes in succession on 77 tuned steel teeth in a single comb, six automaton dolls, three within mirrored recesses at the back and three to the foreground, all jumping and spinning with articulated legs when the music is played. Dim. 36 x 68 x 39 cm.