Beautifully engraved and gilded, this French singing-bird box is truly spectacular. A sweetly chirping bird, sporting bright hummingbird feathers, emerges from a beneath an open scroll-work grill, moving his wings and tail. Exquisite Rococo design is evident in the graceful shape of the box and the beautifully painted enameling on the lid. Excellent condition. 3 ¾" wide x 2 ½" deep x 1 ½" high Circa 1870 Mechanical singing bird boxes initially appeared in the 1780s as toys for royalty and extremely wealthy noblemen. Known as a tabatière in France (from the French word for tobacco, for they resemble tobacco or snuff boxes) each box conceals a richly colored, hand-feathered miniature bird. When the lid is opened, the bird appe