Skip to main content
Video Loading
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 8

Singing Bird Box by Alfred Bontems

About the Item

A superb antique and finely painted sarcophagus-form wooden singing bird box, by Alfred Bontems. Going-barrel movement A stunning painting on each panel... When wound and the start/stop slide moved to the right, the bird emerges through smartly pressed and pierced silver grille, moving metal beak, wings, and body from side-to-side to continuous synchronized birdsong of great melodic qualities. The bird with grouped tonal feathered plumage in shades of light brown, turquoise, red and dark blue, lid top with two love birds, the main lid top and sides all with original and hand painted swags of flowers. The top of the movement stamped 'A.B. France' for Alfred Bontems. Alfred Bontems was a cousin of the more famous Blaise Bontems, and sourced movements from the Bontems firm
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 1.26 in (3.2 cm)Width: 3.94 in (10 cm)Depth: 2.37 in (6 cm)
  • Materials and Techniques:
  • Place of Origin:
  • Period:
  • Date of Manufacture:
    1895
  • Condition:
    Wear consistent with age and use.
  • Seller Location:
    London, GB
  • Reference Number:
    1stDibs: LU2015332456232
More From This SellerView All
  • Antique Tortoiseshell singing bird box, by Bontems
    Located in London, GB
    A antique tortoiseshell singing bird box, by Bontems Circa 1890, Going-barrel movement, Motor-view light anomaly... When wound and start/...
    Category

    Antique 1890s French Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes

    Materials

    Tortoise Shell

  • Antique Tortoiseshell Singing Bird Box, Most Probably by Bontems
    Located in London, GB
    A antique tortoiseshell singing bird box, most probably by Bontems, Going barrel movement, Gilt metal two-tone brilliance... When wound and start/stop slide moved to the right, the bird pops up through foliate chased gilt grille, then proceeds to move bone beak, wings and body from side-to-side to good complex continuous synchronized birdsong. The bird with streaked feathered plumage in brown, yellow, turquoise and red, lime green and purple iridescent highlights, highly polished lid interior for full bird reflection, in plain polished tortoiseshell case, twinned laurel leaf engraved bird lid border with the bird lid engraved with love birds and rose united beneath leaf swag arch, accentuated with gilt on silvered ground, hidden key...
    Category

    Antique 1880s French Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes

    Materials

    Tortoise Shell

  • Silver and Tortoiseshell Singing Bird Box by Bontems, circa 1900
    By Bontems
    Located in London, GB
    A beautiful Singing bird box by bontems of Paris, Circa 1900. Tortoisesheel embellished with sterling silver, with silver and enamel lid.
    Category

    Antique Early 1900s French Late Victorian Decorative Boxes

    Materials

    Silver

  • Gilt Bronze, Pearl and Enamel Singing Bird Box by Bontems, circa 1890
    By Bontems
    Located in London, GB
    A stunning gilt bronze and seed pearl singing bird box by Bontems of Paris - CIRCA 1890. The bird rises from beneath the enamal oval lid and is sure to delight!
    Category

    Antique Late 19th Century French Victorian Decorative Boxes

    Materials

    Bronze, Enamel

  • Composition tortoiseshell and gilt metal singing bird box
    Located in London, GB
    A good antique composition tortoiseshell and gilt metal singing bird box, German circa 1900 Going-barrel movement Setting the birds free... When wound and the sta...
    Category

    Antique Early 1900s Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes

    Materials

    Tortoise Shell

  • A silver gilt and Imperial Yellow guilloche enamel singing bird box
    Located in London, GB
    A very fine silver gilt and Imperial Yellow guilloche enamel singing bird box with timepiece, by C. A. Marguerat, with a Nightingale on the lid. The Nightingale has appeared in many...
    Category

    Vintage 1920s Swiss Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes

    Materials

    Silver, Enamel

You May Also Like
  • Automaton singing bird by Bontems
    By Bontems
    Located in Zonhoven, BE
    Unique flower pot with singing bird automaton made by Bontems in the last quarter of the 19th century. Bontems was a manufacturer of bird automatons in Paris. He produced decent num...
    Category

    Antique Late 19th Century French Late Victorian Decorative Boxes

    Materials

    Metal, Other, Gold Plate

  • Singing Bird Cage by Bontems
    By Bontems
    Located in Zonhoven, BE
    Rare and very decorative singing bird automaton. Made in de 4th quarter of the 19th century by Bontems in Paris (France). This top quality singing bird has a wooden gilded base to ...
    Category

    Antique Late 19th Century French Late Victorian Decorative Boxes

    Materials

    Metal, Other, Gold Plate

  • Singing Bird Cage with 2 birds by Bontems
    By Bontems
    Located in Zonhoven, BE
    Rare and very decorative singing bird automaton. Made in de 4th quarter of the 19th century by Bontems in Paris (France). This singing bird cage has a brass gilded base to conseal ...
    Category

    Antique Late 19th Century French Late Victorian Decorative Boxes

    Materials

    Metal, Other, Gold Plate

  • Singing Bird Cage by Bontems with 2 birds
    By Bontems
    Located in Zonhoven, BE
    Rare and very decorative singing bird automaton. Made in de 4th quarter of the 19th century by Bontems in Paris (France). This top quality singing bird has a wooden gilded base to ...
    Category

    Antique Late 19th Century French Late Victorian Decorative Boxes

    Materials

    Metal, Other, Gold Plate

  • Clock with Singing Bird Automaton by Bontems
    By Bontems
    Located in Zonhoven, BE
    Very beautiful and rare clock with bird automaton. Made by Bontems at the end of 19th century in Paris. This French pendulum clock runs for 8 days, strikes the half hour and full ho...
    Category

    Antique Late 19th Century French Late Victorian Decorative Boxes

    Materials

    Metal, Other, Enamel, Gold Plate

  • Singing Bird Music Box by Karl Griesbaum
    By Karl Griesbaum
    Located in Newark, England
    Video audio removed by 1st Dibs, original audio version available please contact us. Featuring Enamelled Decoration Signed on the Movement Circa 1930 Singing Bird Music...
    Category

    Early 20th Century German Classical Greek Decorative Boxes

    Materials

    Metal

Recently Viewed

View All