Monkey-in-pineapple musical automaton, by Roullet & Decamps

 

A very rare monkey-in-pineapple musical automaton, by Roullet & Decamps,
 
French, circa 1900,
 
A refreshing blend of exotic fruit and marmoset,
 
When wound and the start/stop pull to verso actuated, the hinged sprout top of the pineapple begins to slowly open and a small monkey rises up from within the fruit, opening and closing mouth several times before very suddenly disappearing completely with the top shutting back down, accompanied by a single musical air.
The shoulder-length monkey of painted papier-mâché body and wood jaw, natural off-white fur coverage with large brown glass eyes and highlighted facial features, pushing the hinged top of the pineapple with his head, the sprout leaves of two-tone green with convincing surface texture, on the finely and very naturalistically painted finish papier-mâché pineapple body with full dimpled texture, in the tones of a ripe fruit, base of straw-wrapped hoop concealing a hidden compartment to underside.
 
size  -  14in. high when top open (35.5cm)
 
Point of interest -
It is thought that this is one of just a handful in existence.  We have never encountered a monkey in pineapple automaton before and once sold, probably never again in the future.  
The known models by R&D for animals popping up out of objects comprise the rabbit in cabbage, the cat in milk churn and the hen in flowerpot.  There is also a monkey in coconut, but that is thought to be in the same rarity band as this fine piece. 
One very interesting feature with this is the thickness of the pineapple body.  At almost a quarter of an inch in places, it is not at all the same construction as the more common rabbit in cabbage.  This thickness aids the strength of the piece to withstand the spring pressures, in addition to the pressing out of the fruit dimples from the inside. 
 
One of the most amusing and wonderful musical automatons created by the animal magic masters - Roulette & Decamps.   
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Monkey-in-pineapple musical automaton, by Roullet & Decamps
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Monkey-in-pineapple musical automaton, by Roullet & DecampsMonkey-in-pineapple musical automaton, by Roullet & DecampsMonkey-in-pineapple musical automaton, by Roullet & DecampsMonkey-in-pineapple musical automaton, by Roullet & DecampsMonkey-in-pineapple musical automaton, by Roullet & DecampsMonkey-in-pineapple musical automaton, by Roullet & DecampsMonkey-in-pineapple musical automaton, by Roullet & DecampsMonkey-in-pineapple musical automaton, by Roullet & Decamps
 
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