This artist was born in 1810 and died in 1902.
He made singing bird boxes of the same size and grade of work as the
Bruguiers.
They are just as well quoted by connoisseurs as these, but they are very
difficult to recognize as he did not mark nor number them.—
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To these different names it is only right that we should add that of the
Maillardet Family:
Jean David Maillardet and Auguste Maillardet who have made many small
mechanical works, after their collaboration with the Jaquet-Droz.
Unfortunately they very seldom signed their pieces, and the documents
respecting their biography are consequently inexistent.
Some of their works have anyhow come under our notice, for instance a
snuff box which belongs to a private collection of Neuchâtel and is
loaned to the Museum of La Chaux de Fonds. The origin of that piece has
been traced as it has been won in a lottery, the curious advertisement
concerning which (dated 27 March 1847) is still to be seen in the Museum
of La Chaux de Fonds. The number of tickets issued for the lottery was
2700, each of which was valued at “3 Francs of France.” This snuff box,
bearing N^o 5, was valued at the time at 420 “Francs of France” (what
should its value be now)?
The second piece is a “Magician” executing all sorts of tricks, which is
still exhibited in the Museum of La Chaux de Fonds.
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[Illustration: 1910]
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