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This is the first dodecagon (12 sided) case singing bird box that I have seen. A truly rare antique (circa 1920s) singing bird box in beautiful cosmetic condition that works perfectly. Solid .935 sterling silver (properly hallmarked), guilloche and transparent blue enamel case. This really catches your eye.
The guilloche designs beneath the cobalt blue enamel are gorgeous and both the guilloche and enamel present themselves differently depending upon the viewing angle and light source; the same hold trues for the iridescent nature of the hummingbird feathers.
The bird is brilliantly colored featuring iridescent hummingbird feathers (red, green, blue, orange, gold and even pink which is rare).Iridescent feathers present themselves differently depending upon the light source and viewing angle. I tried to capture the beauty of this bird using different angles in my video but cameras never do these feathers justice.
The solid brass, pinned movement is of exceptional quality with thicker plates, more refined machining and steel flat springs instead of the more common brass coil variety. This was referred to as the "Type 1" quality movement within the Karl Griesbaum lineup and the catalog price added a 20% premium to the product cost just for this superior movement alone. As such, very few bird boxes have the Type 1 quality movement.
Overall condition is excellent including the enamel. There are some very tiny repairs to the enamel that were superbly executed.
I fully serviced (cleaned, adjusted, lubricated)the mechanical movement so this singing bird box operates perfectly. I also rebuilt the tiny bird so it works perfectly. Buyers should be cautious when purchasing an antique singing bird box - always insist on seeing a photo of the mechanical movement foranysinging bird box described as "antique". Over 75% of the "antique" singing bird boxes for sale on & other other venues are not antique and many even have brand new mechanisms inside which are not disclosed to buyers. This significantly impacts both current value and future value appreciation.
The bird animates perfectly as follows: wings flap up/down, beak opens/closes, tail flutters up/down all the while singing to a beautiful oscillating bird song that is synchronized to the bird animation.
