Vase-Form Musical Mantel Clock with Singing Bird and Automata

A magnificent and rare parcel-gilt bronze vase-form singing bird musical automaton clock with hour and half hour strike, No. 581.

The case is in the form of a flattened campana-shaped vase with finely cast and chased fire-gilt decoration. The top of the vase contains a scene of an oval pool mounted with a fountain, and three revolving glass rods simulating water issuing from lion masks. Topped with a multi-colored singing bird, the bird with moving body, wings, tail and turning head. The front is fitted with an automaton of a see-saw on which a polychrome youth and girl balance while flying a paper kite. The automata movement is signed, Frederic Rochat and stamped FR. The circular movement is signed, Piguet et Meylan. The musical movement plays three tunes, pinned cylinder with comb of thirty-two groups of four teeth and one of five teeth. The musical movement is attributed to Nicole Frères, renowned as one of the finest makers of musical movements in this period.