An early singing bird box with black lacquer and mother-of-pearl star decoration, H 5,5 - W 11 cm An early singing bird box in a black lacquered pressed horn case and mother-of-pearl stars to the top. Central to the top is a gilt brass lid to conceal the singing bird. When activated the central lid opens, and a bird pops up, turns from left to right, and sings a joyful song while opening his beak, flapping his wings, and moving his tail. Most singing bird boxes are wound at the bottom, while this one is wound at the left side. The reason is there is a rare, probably unique, mechanism inside. The missing step between the 19th-century fusee wound Bruguier and the Bontems mechanisms. Bruguier used the eight combs mechanism where the combs shift to make the song complex and of an exceptional length, driven by a fusee spring and a complex bellow system. Bontems uses 2 combs of a larger diameter and normal spring barrel mechanism and a simplified bellow system. This singing bird has the normal barrel (Bontems) and has 8 combs (Bruguier) and a Bontems bellow system. Is it a follower of Bruguier (trying to simplify the complex fusee) or is it Bontems experimenting to find his way of producing his singing birds? Mechanism to be wound with the original key at the left side.品相报告: The item appears overall in good condition but could benefit from some adjustments.