22" Exceptional antique French automaton LAMBERT "Crying girl with broken polichinelle" Jumeau 211 head, Circa 1890

FRENCH MUSICAL AUTOMATON "CRYING CHILD GIRL WITH BROKEN POLICHINELLE" BY LEOPOLD LAMBERT

Extraordinary automaton with Perfect bisque-head character girl with sculpted crying expression,narrow blue glass eyes,closed mouth modeled as though wide open with sculpted tongue and upper row of teeth,brunette mohair wig,carton torso and legs,and bisque hands,is standing upon a velvet covered wooden platform. She wears patterned rose silk dress with lace and paillette trim,velvet bonnet,rose silk shoes and stockings,and holds a lace-edged hankie in her left hand,and the strings to a Polichinelle puppet in her right; the Polichinelle dangles from its puppet strings. The Polichinelle has paper mache head and traditional silk jester costume.
The head is marked 211 from the rarest jumeau series antique dolls "JUMEAU FANTASTIQUE" ,the key is marked L.B. Movements: the girl turns her head to the left,nods,and tries to lift the dangling figure of Polichinelle,then to the right and brings her hankie to her crying face. The automaton appeared in the original Lambert catalog named Bebe au Polichinelle,No. 47.
The 200 series bisque automaton heads,commissioned exclusively from Jumeau by Lambert,and designed to accentuate the activity of a given automaton (in this case,a little girl crying over her fallen Polichinelle) were later produced as a series of dolls by the Jumeau firm,and are among the rarest antique dolls to be found today
. Leopold Lambert,France. Circa 1890 . 22" (55 cm). Four movements. One tune.
measures;
55cm total automaton ( platform 14cm) red velvet covered platform (24cm x 15cm )
40cm doll 16" head 12cm (4,7")
19cm polichinell ( 7,5")

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PROVENANCE:
The 19th century produced a wealth of luxurious mechanical dolls and toys known as automata. Made in small studios in Paris from the years 1848–1915, these playthings brought to life both exotic and everyday events of the times. Nearly 150 of these automata, from the collection of world-renowned collector Christian Bailly were sold at auction, and this one is part of his worldclass private collection.

LEOPOLD LAMBERT AUTOMATON MAKER/ PARIS ;:
Biography
Léopold Lambert was born in Aix-en-Provence in October, 1854. His parents owned a hotel, their business was rather successful and they expected that the son would continue the family venture. However, since his childhood the boy showed creative abilities, drawn and made curious art items from wood and clay very often. Later he was an apprentice of the famous automata master, Gustav Vichy.
Seizing all on the fly, Leopold Lamber quickly mastered the dolls’ production and very soon became the senior supervisor. In 1886, Lamber decided to open his own business - a workshop for production of the mechanical dolls, musical automata and expensive luxury items similar to products by Vichy.
Several years earlier, in 1876 Lamber got married. The Parisian tailor Eugénie Maria Bougeois became his spouse. After the wedding, she assisted to Lamber, making sketches of suits and sewing clothes for the dolls, which were made in the workshop.
Mechanical automata from Lamber's workshop were very popular and were sold well. He actively participated in various exhibitions and always knew how to amaze the experienced public. The 90-cantimeter, singing serenades doll of Mephistopheles presented by Lamber at the World Fair of 1900, became one of the most discussed exhibits. Then followed success at the exhibitions in Liege in 1904 and in Milan in 1905.


CHRISTIAN BAILLY BIOGRAPHY :
Christian Bailly, born in 1942, began his career in 1965 in Paris’ famed flea market. After specializing in automata and mechanical music, in 1979 he opened a shop in the Louvre des Antiquaires, then in New York’s Place des Antiquaires (1987-1994). Over the course of many years, he built an exceptional collection of automata, which was recently sold at auction. His passion for automata began over thirty years ago, when he purchased his very first piece. Since then, he has pursued his quest throughout the world, with enthusiasm and determination.
It was while examining the mechanical pieces he had acquired in his travels, taking them apart and restoring them himself, that he began to learn their secrets. He soon was able to identify the automaton makers, and to restore each piece to its original splendor. For a long time, Christian was the only antique dealer to specialize in automata, and he gained international fame for his knowledge and for the superb quality of the pieces he offered in Paris and New York. Official recognition for these qualities came when he was nominated to become an Expert with Paris’ Cour d’Appel and Customs Assessor for the EEC.
His interest in automata having led him to do extensive research, Christian shared his knowledge, publishing “Automata, the Golden Age 1848-1914” (Sotheby’s Publications, 1987), which appeared in French, English, and German editions. It was complemented by a video documentary “Automata, Mechanical Marvels of the 19th Century”, with narration by Dick Cavett. The book was a great success, being reprinted several times; it has become the essential reference work for professionals, auction houses, experts, collectors and enthusiasts the world over, as well as for the world’s major museums.