A parcel-gilt silver and enamel singing bird box, Charles Bruguier, Geneva, circa 1850

This lot contains ivory. Due to recent changes in the laws of many countries (e.g. US, France) Replica Shoes 's recommends that buyers check with their own government regarding any importation requirements prior to placing a bid. Please note that Sotheby's will not assist buyers with CITES licence applications where a buyer elects to either collect or arrange their own shipping, nor will Replica Shoes 's assist with the international movement of ivory by air, either as freight or through hand carry. Sotheby's shipping will only assist in shipping the lot to either domestic UK or EU destinations, where delivery is made by road transport. A buyer's inability to export or import these lots cannot justify a delay in payment or sale cancellation

Charles Abraham Bruguier, born in Geneva in 1788, the son of an établisseur, was 'the last of the great makers of singing birds in the true tradition of the Jaquet-Droz', to whom the invention of singing bird boxes has traditionally been attributed (Geoffrey T. Mayson, Mechanical Singing-Bird Tabatières, London, 2000, p. 16). In October 1813, he married Louise-Pernette Noiret. In 1815, a year after their daughter was born, Bruguier and his family moved to London. Based on Great Marlborough Street and later in Greek Street, the watchmaker improved his craftmanship further on automata. According to Sharon and Christian Bailly, it was only after Bruguier’s return to Geneva in 1823 that he began making singing bird boxes (Sharon and Christian Bailly, Flights of Fancy, Antiquorum, 2001, p. 261). Bruguier's son, named Abraham-Charles, known as Charles, who was born on 25 November 1818, continued his father’s business later on. Both Bruguiers did not only create brightly-enamelled fanciful singing bird boxes such as the present lot, but also specialised in repairing objects of vertu made by earlier automaton makers, such as Jaquet-Droz and Leschot. Bruguier senior died in 1862.