{"product_id":"breguet-singing-bird-box","title":"Breguet Singing Bird Box","description":"Breguet Singing Bird Box\u003cbr\u003e Handcrafted 1945 \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e This exquisite gilded brass singing bird box was crafted and retailed by the celebrated watchmaker Breguet. It was almost certainly specially ordered and one of only two singing bird automata the famed firm ever completed. It is fitted with an ingenious automaton movement by Alfred Bontems. Combining Breguet’s legacy of precision with Bontems’ mastery of lifelike mechanical birds, it represents an exceptional union of horological innovation and decorative artistry. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The elegant case is engine-turned with intricate geometric motifs, while the underside bears the winding aperture and Breguet signature. When the case is opened, a delicate feathered bird automatically emerges and begins to sing, turning from side to side while moving its beak, wings and tail in perfect rhythm. Remarkably, the bird retreats the moment the case is closed, even if its song has not yet ended. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e To realize this extraordinary creation, Breguet turned to master automaton maker Alfred Bontems. Renowned for the naturalism of his mechanisms and the clarity of their songs, Bontems transformed ingenious objects into captivating works of mechanical art. This rare example is further distinguished by its provenance noted by the Breguet archives and its inclusion in \u003cem\u003eFlights of Fancy\u003c\/em\u003e, Christian Bailly’s authoritative study of singing bird automata. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Provenance:\u003cbr\u003e Breguet, Paris\u003cbr\u003e Sold to Mr. Ducos\u003cbr\u003e Private collection, Belgium\/New York\u003cbr\u003e M.S. Rau, New Orleans \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Literature:\u003cbr\u003e Christian Bailly, \u003cem\u003eFlights of Fancy: Mechanical Singing Birds\u003c\/em\u003e, p. 316, illustrated","brand":"M.S. Rau","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45317161877639,"sku":"32-2455","price":98500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0083\/2471\/0466\/files\/32-2455_1.png?v=1784816073","url":"https:\/\/rauantiques.com\/products\/breguet-singing-bird-box","provider":"M.S. Rau","version":"1.0","type":"link"}