ANTIQUE FERNAND MARTIN PIANO PLAYER AUTOMATON FRANCE PIANIST TINPLATE TIN TOY
Item History & Price
...Offered here is my:
FERNAND MARTIN....Piano Player...Pianist
c. late 1890's French automaton
Rare and delightful early clockwork musical figure
ANTIQUE FRENCH AUTOMATA
CHARMING EARLY MECHANICAL MUSICAL TOY
MADE IN PARIS, FRANCE
appx. 15 cm height...13.5 cm wide
MAESTRO PIANIST SITS AT HIS PIANO, MOVING HIS HANDS OVER THE KEYS AS HE PLAYS A TUNE.
DELIGHTFUL TOY.....TINPLATE PIANO CONSTRUCTION, WITH INTERNAL CLOCKWORK MECHANISM
ARTICULATED... PIANIST, STILL WEARING HIS ORIGINAL COSTUME AND WITH HIS ORIGINAL PAINTED FEATURES AND SPINDLY HANDS..STILL WITH ALL HIS FINGERS.
PIANIST STILL HAS HIS HAIR....after more than a century, so many of these figures have lost the old hair and are usually seen bald, or worse still with awful modern replacement wigs.
PIANO WITH ITS MUSIC SHEET...KEYS...STOOL ETC...the two delicate little twin candelabra show very typical age and losses, but are original (personally, i don't like using reproduction parts and would much rather see original worn pieces...BUT...these are so commonly damaged that quite good replacements are readily available...an ebay seller in France usually has them in stock).
WITH A VERY CAREFUL WINDING OF THE ORIGINAL FIXED KEY...THE MECHANISM STILL RUNS, AND THE PIANIST WILL PLAY HIS TUNE(remember this is best part of 120 years old, so always handle gently and with great care)
i've added a short video clip, so you can see the charming working function...please try clicking the following link
VIDEO
SCARCE ANTIQUE TOY STILL DISPLAYS VERY NICELY....it shows expected signs of age and play wear, with little scuffs, chips, marks to finish...there is the odd paint chip or loss...natural fade and wear to clothing...a little tin base edge split/creasing at opposing sides and odd missing tiny tin tab fastening about piano etc...with occasional play, i've noticed sometimes the stool seat/to leg tabs can slip out of their position from pianist's movement ...so just very carefully position them back into their slots.
i didn't realise how dusty he has got from sitting on my shelf, so you might want to give him a gentle clean.
(please also study all the images for condition)
I ALWAYS TRY TO BE UPFRONT ON CONDITION ISSUES AND TRY TO MAKE IT SOUND AS BAD AS POSSIBLE!
NONE OF THIS DETRACTS FROM A GREAT OLD TOY, STILL IN WORKING CONDITION.
GENUINE ANTIQUE TOY...NEARLY 120 YEAR OLD...NOT A MODERN ITEM
all offers considered
please take a good close look at all the images i've added, taken in differing light to hopefully show the honest/accurate condition......as these pictures also form part of the description, and i'm parting with my FRENCH AUTOMATON PIANIST as is / as shown and without returns...thanks.
PLEASE REMEMBER YOU ARE BIDDING TO PURCHASE MY FERNAND MARTIN PIANIST ONLY.......THANKS.
if you need more images or have questions... please just ask.
international paypal payments, or IBAN b/transfer(in u.k £ sterling or Euro equivalent)....u.k also others.
overseas tracked confirmed EXPRESS DELIVERY WITH DHL or similar 1-2 day service, listed at £55 (i will refund any over payment once sent)...u.k £8.75 SPECIAL DELIVERY**** DELIVERY TO YOUR REGISTERED FULL STREET ADDRESS....SORRY, NO PO BOXES****
IF TRACKED CONFIRMED DELIVERY IS NOT POSSIBLE TO YOUR LOCATION, I MAY NEED TO CANCEL SALE...BY BIDDING YOU AGREE & UNDERSTAND THIS. thank you.
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