by Jere Ryder (020327 MMDigest)
Dear
Collectors & Enthusiasts, Please be aware that there is currently
a 'wave' of brand new, made-to-deceive old-looking automatons reaching
the international marketplace. The few different variants of this
monkey 'hookah-like' smoker which we've seen are purposely constructed
so as to allow no internal inspection; rather, they are sealed-in behind
either a glass fronted picture box (as per our attached photos) or within
a fully enclosed glass case of 27" to 30" height.
We were lucky enough to receive the example show herein from a collector
here in the States who also was curious as to maker, dating, etc., and
whom is allowing us to use photos of their piece accompanying this article
and who desires to both forewarn or educate others out there of what is
taking place. We've now received inquiries from collectors here in
the States, France and Switzerland regarding these pieces.
Don't be fooled, these are of completely modern fabrication, and virtually
all of them seen to date did at one time have a fairly large, old-looking
makers label glued to the rear panel. We've only found one example
so far, from a collector in Europe, which still has the ingenious yet fake
label still attached (see photo), stating the maker as "L. Lambert", the
model "Marvo the Magic Monkey", and actually incorporating a date "1879".
The reason most all the fake labels are being removed is that the 'faker' messed up a printed detail: Lambert's shop address is stated as "13, Rue Portefoin" which is correct, but alas, Lambert did not open his shop here until 1886 (as stated in "The Golden Age of Automata" by C. Bailly), not 1879. Secondary marketers are likely spying this major oversight and removing any labeling.
In the shadow boxed, picture-like models, a variety of older framing
materials are used, but invariably the shadow box behind is constructed
of new pine sides and modern chip-board back, all completely covered and
all joinery sealed by glued craft paper then color faded or aged.
The fake Lambert labeling was also attached just above the rear-side winding
hole.
The winding hole shows a steel square arbor which would be wound by
a clock key, but in reality it is a steel transition piece which is threaded
on the interior side and outwardly square shafted. It needs to be
threaded on the interior, because it mounts or mates to the small, 1-tune,
18-note Sankyo musical movement in the monkeys chest which drives the minor
animation of the head turning (see close-up pix). Any other animation
which takes place is in the eye of the beholder and there is no other additional
clockwork motor.
The head looks like a real shrunken monkey head but is really cast plaster of Paris, as are the hands, then painted and aged. As for costuming, some slightly older materials are used including metallic trimming, but the monkeys trousers are a modern synthetic. There's also a creative use for a large caliber ammo shell as the brass smoke stack topping the 'bong'. It has quartered markings: "S, 6, 17 and S67". Maybe somebody out there can identify the ammo origin or date?
It's one thing to make replica automata or new creations which are obvious and/or clearly marked as to maker or date of origin, but totally another when premeditated mis-labeling meant to deceive takes place. (This not being the first, but only one of the latest!)
A piece such as this plays upon the collector's psyche and one should have pause for reflection, or even just a phone call to another knowledgeable person for consultation or advice, before diving into something that seems too good to be true, because we all know what the answer to that usually is!
We are purely guessing at this point that these are sourcing from France
or England, but what we would like to see is one of our French or English
readers do a little searching to find out who exactly is producing and
"salting" these pieces around, and maybe with some additional information
about what other models have and are being made today. With best
regards and Happy Collecting!
Jere
and Steve Ryder - AutaMusique, Ltd.
(Mechanical Music Specialists)
2 Kent Pl. Blvd., Summit, NJ. 07901 USA
tel.: 908-273-1513 / fax: 908-273-9504
27 Mar 2002 21:08:53 -0500
28 March 2002