ELABORATE AUTOMATON BY JEAN ROULLET "CHARMEUSE DE

This elaborate and highly desirable automaton, known in English as "The Snake Charmer", is seldom found and portrays an exotic dancer in bare feet wearing bronze and jeweled ankle bracelets, a similar type headband/tiara and very large earrings with similar jewels covering both ears entirely. The head is constructed of papier mache, as are the forearms, with inset glass eyes and silk eyelashes on both upper and lower parts of the eyelid. She stands on a big square wooden box covered on brocade silk and is holding a long serpent with the head positioned in the left hand, which often comes dangerously close to the face. When wound, the music plays, head turns back and forth, up and down with the serpent moving back and forth and at one point she is looking at it directly in the eye with the viper looking back at her. The costume is all metallic gold-colored lace with a beaded metallic fancy sash. Operating mechanism still works well, as does the music. Also included but not positioned is a long-stemmed brass-colored instrument which may have been a replacement. She has her original brass key to operate the mechanisms with a push/pull lever to activate and deactivate as required. CONDITION: Very good with some possible paint touch-up to hands and face. Dimensions: 36" x 16" x 16".