Cage with automaton bird. France, Art Nouveau, ca.1900

Cage with automaton bird. France, Art Nouveau, ca.1900
Brass cage.
Bird with authentic feathers.
It works, but needs refinishing.
Exhibits wear consistent with age and use.
Measurements: 28 x 16 x 16 cm.

Art Nouveau period metal cage that houses an automaton songbird reproduced with realistic plumage. When the mechanism is activated, the bird emits a mechanical song characteristic of the automatons of the time. The base of the drum is decorated with plant motifs worked in relief in the form of festoons.

Pieces like this were highly appreciated in the salons of the Belle Époque, combining mechanical craftsmanship and decorative art. Today they are a testimony to the inventiveness and refined taste of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.