Contemporary French Musical Automaton "The Dapper Monkey Smoker"

24" (61 cm.) Standing upon an elaborate velvet-covered wooden stage is a papier-mache monkey presented as an elegantly-dressed gentleman,with swivel head,brown glass eyes,flocked brown hair and beard,small hole in mouth,carton torso and legs,wire upper arms,papier-mache hands. When wound,music plays,he turns his head,brings his right arm toward his face and takes a draw from the cigarette that he is holding; then turns his head in the other direction and exhales. Condition: generally excellent,mechanism and music function well. Comments: "The Dapper Monkey Smoker" was commissioned by Candy and Aaron Spelling from the French automaton artist,Michel Marcu,circa 1980. Value Points: artistic rendition of the 19th century classic favorite,the monkey wears elegantly-foppish costume of rich silks,lace and wool,with top hat and jewel-tipped walking stick.