Watch and listen to this video of a gilt-brass mechanical singing bird box, Germany, 20th Century. Singing mechanical bird boxes have fascinated viewers since the 18th century. The earliest examples, like the one made by Jaquet-Droz & Leschot, Switzerland circa 1785 were often enameled gold boxes set with precious stones or pearls.
Contained within these small, elegant music boxes is a complex mechanism and bellows which provide mechanical movement to the bird, wings, tail and beak while pumping air through a multi-pitch whistle providing the sound.
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28 сен 2024
