Gold-Plated Singing Bird Box and Clock

Combining a diminutive clock and a charming automaton, this Swiss bird box is a mechanical work of art. Enveloped in an intricately engraved gold-plated case, its complex mechanism springs to life with the simple press of a button. When activated, the hinged lid opens to reveal the feathered automaton bird, which springs from beneath a pierced grill. The bird chirps and flaps with remarkable realism, while the sound of its birdsong is produced by small bellows in the box's interior. When the song is complete, the bird disappears back inside the gold-plated case, and the lid closes behind it.

Marked "Swiss Made" and numbered 366

Circa 1880

4 1/4" wide x 2 1/2" deep x 1 1/2" wide