Automaton musical / singing bird boxes and bird cages are mechanical masterpieces which have sang charming tunes since the 19th C. Produced mostly in Europe, the automaton mechanical music bird boxes and cages were made by a variety of well known makers. Each musical piece is uniquely created by the maker and ranges in complexity, material and beauty. Manor Auctions will sell a nice variety of automaton bird boxes and cages consigned from a private Florida collection.
Many of the automaton musical bird boxes and cages are made to be very decorative and ornate, possessing fine, intricate detail. Each bird is made to be life-like in functionality, with moving head, wings, tails and mouth. In come instances real birds were sometimes used. Mechanically, the birds are made to move and react perfectly with the tune or music the box / cage is set to play. Makers went to great lengths to ensure all the mechanics moved in unison to create a brilliant and pleasing finished product. This being said, the automaton musical birds may be found with multiple birds withing a single cage. In these cases, the complexities became even greater in that the birds would sing in harmony, alternating their turn singing alongside each other. The more birds present, the more complex the mechanics and the greater the effort involved.
The automaton musical bird boxes and cages would most often be made from sterling silver, silver-plate, brass and other types of workable metals. These were mostly found to be key-wound, with switches to activate the birds to sing.
This is a great opportunity for collectors to expand their collections. If you do not own a automaton bird box or cage, this is your chance to purchase one of these intriguing mechanical masterpieces. They can be enjoyed and spoke about for years to come.
Bid In This Auction: All of Manor's auctions are open to everyone, so take a moment to preview our 900 lot online auction catalog. Buyers are welcome to bid via Telephone, Floor, Absentee or Internet. Please contact the gallery if you have any questions about the lot or the auction bidding process.The auction takes place February 25th at 10am Eastern at Manor's Tallahassee Gallery.
