$105,000
Rare Automaton of a Louisiana Black Smoker by Vichy, with papier-mache head, brown eyes with articulated lids, open / closed mouth with painted teeth, sculpted cheekbones, chin and eyebrows, and black mohair wig, sitting cross-legged on scrollwork walnut rocking chair, his body articulated at the right knee, left elbow and right arm, his hands molded and painted to suggest gloves, holding bone and burlwood cheroot-holder in his right hand, a copy of the Emancipation Proclamation in his left, the crank-wind going-barrel movement in the body driving seven cams, bellows and playing two airs as the figure rocks back and forth in his chair, looks from side to side surveying the scene, slowly moving the Proclamation back and forth in his left hand, raising the cigarette-holder in his right, inclining his head to inhale, the smoke passing through the body and exhaled through his mouth as he leans his head backwards and lowers his eyelids as though savoring the experience, in tailored white cotton plantation suit over cream silk dress shirt, green cummerbund, straw hat, original leather shoes and striped black-and-yellow socks, ht. 22 in., with crank and "acorn" stop / start, seven movements. One of only three known examples of this piece, restoration was undertaken by Steve and Jere Ryder in 1991; an album of notes and photographs documenting the restoration is included in the Lot. Literature: Bailly, Automata, The Golden Age , pp. 77, 241. In 1896 Henry Vichy traveled from France Read more…
Auctioneer:
Skinner
Date:
2007-03-24
