A well proportioned antique gilt metal and peacock enamel singing bird box, by John Manger,

Circa 1910,

Going-barrel movement,

The Leucistic India peafowl makes his entrance...

When wound and the actuation button slid to the right, the bird emerges through solid plate bird-form gilt grille, moving polished metal beak, wings, tailfeather and body from side-to-side to continuous synchronised birdsong.  

The bird with layered feathered plumage in various blue tones with white back and dark green undertail, in bright gilt metal case with shaped indent corners, the bird lid with magnificent painted enamel study of fully outstretched Indian Leucistic peacock in subtle multitoned colours with white iridescence, on bright electric blue ground containing gold speckles, main lid with trumpet urn swag corners repeated to all sides and hidden key compartment at rear. The bottom of the movement stamped 'John Manger & Co London'. John Manger, interestingly was the only known English maker of birdboxes.

3.13/16in. wide, 2.5/8in. deep, 1.1/2in. high - (8.1 x 6.7 x 3.8cm)

Point of interest -

Very interesting to see the unique movement design of Manger boxes.  The method of raising the bird 90-degrees is done completely differently on this design, with the mech start lever being joined by the lid opening lever with a pivot, not by a push-cam.  Resembling the pivot on a pair of scissors, this action automatically expands to reach the sprung bird-up rod, so the timing of each of these three actions is precise and self-correcting with no adjustment tags needed.  This simple method, although using one more key compontant, is unique to Manger movements and certainly a major refinement upon avid differing movement comparisons.