Douglas Fisher - Gilt metal singing bird jewellery casket, by Flajoulot

Gilt metal singing bird jewellery casket, by Flajoulot

A fine rich gilt metal singing bird jewellery casket, by Flajoulot,

French

circa 1920

Going-barrel movement,

Gilt masterpiece in action,

When wound and the start/stop slide actuated, the bird lid pops up as the bird suddenly hones into view, flapping wings, bobbing tailfeather to excellent pitch, chirping bone beak to the continuous birdsong, coming to a finish when bird disappears and the lid closes.

The bird with alternating bands of dark green and brown feathered plumage, balanced by the striking red and black bands to wings and turquoise tailfeather, heightened by green and orange iridescence to back, rising up through the beautifully pierced and chased gilt grille, matt finished lid interior, in superb sweeping top profile case.

The bird lid top with arrow and flaming torch union, ribbon swag tie and flower garland crest in relief, baullé border, main lid with repeating cat's eye and mottled square tooled ground, egg frieze edge border, bird case sweeping outwards to show very fine detailed relief work of flowering urns with deep bell lotus heads, curled trails and large daisy heads, all symmetrically presented above laurel leaf frieze, above the jewellery compartment hinged at the back with concave and convex dual fluting, further baullé and laurel leaf edges, opening to reveal large compartment for jewellery lined in red velvet, access to the winding hole for bird operation, underside with deep and rich matt gilt field, bearing the Made In France maker's stamp.

size - 5.1/4in. wide, 3.5/8in. deep, 2.7/8in. high - (13.5 x 9.5 x 7.5cm)

Point of Interest -

Technically, Flajoulot singing bird boxes are advanced in two key areas. The use of a back-mounted governor with lengthened endless has some positive regulatory merit, as with a going-barrel drive, this design helps smoothes the slight loss of power at the very end of the spring wind-life. The other area is the case design - usually almost metal cased and cast and tooled to perfection. Closer to perfect than any other maker at this period, the process of gilding is enhancing, not hiding, the consistent quality seen by this French workshop. It is astounding the amount of work which has gone into producing the main trails in relief seen to the sweeping sides of this case. The edges so crisp, the field two-tonal in the light and the sharpness of the garlands will impress.

A super example of fine case making, accompanied by the sweet birdsong.

STOCK No	1504
AVAILABILITY	Sold
PRICE	Sold

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