Rare and Outstanding Carved 46lb Atlantic Salmon by John Tully Fochaber Studio

An early Rochat singing bird box with fusee automaton movement numbered 316 and with stamped three tulip mark in the top plate of the movement. The tortoiseshell case with hinged snuff ( or key) compartment to the rear of the box. The gold lid is finely hand painted in enamel with an excellent alpine scene with a mountain in the background, a lake in the forground. The bezel surrounding the grille through which the bird pops up and down is also of gold. The underside of the lid is also beautifully painted with a posie of flowers on a light blue background. The bird, typically for Rochat, is of a large size for a singing bird box and the grille is typical of Rochat's work rather than Bruguier's. The top of the case with a fine border made from gold. The key wound chain driven fusee movement working the bellows & driving multiple cams that on sliding the operating lever to the front, the lid opens and the bird pops up, sings its head off and 1/ turns its head from left to right, 2/ flaps the wings and finally 3/ pirouettes left and right. On completion of his 20 second performance he drops through the superbly pierced silver gilt grille and the lid closes after him. All fusee movements allow the bird a longer performance than the later spring barrel movements but more importantly one extra manipulation, the movement of the head from left to right. Frères Rochat...

Threes a crowd and a good sound... When wound and actuated by start/stop lever to side, the three birds take turns to sing passages of the sequential birdsong, moving beaks, heads a...

Carved Wye Salmon Trophy Fish. An excellent Fochaber's studio carved wooden cock salmon. The half block salmon has relief fins and is beautifully executed and painted to a high stand...

NAUTICAL DIORAMA showing the schooner yacht Atlantic set into water. A gracious diorama with exceptional detail. Rigged with a full set of sails. Atlantic is an amazing yacht with an...