Probably circa 1880's. Exceptional musical French automaton dressed as a clown, with face painted as such, as is a balancer or an acrobat. The movements are spectacular, with the clown beginning balancing with both palms of the hands on the sides of wooden chairs. When wound, the music and movements begin, starting with the man balancing and trying to raise his back and legs upward, and as he does such the chairs move slightly, pushing front and back, until he eventually gets in with his body in almost parallel position to the floor. Then, he removes his right hand from the chair, basically balancing his entire body on the left hand only. Then, even more remarkably, he takes his body, supported solely by the weight on his left hand, back and up and to the left at an angle. After this is complete, he slowly retraces his steps and his body positions until they once again remain balanced on the top of the chairs with his body erect. He is dressed in elaborate silk clothing, hand-painted with moons, floral designs and a velvet vest with beads resembling the shape of a butterfly. The entire mechanism and the music are contained within the wooden base with three stairs leading up each side to the top level where the chairs are positioned. 36" tall overall, with the actual man from head to toe being 25" tall. CONDITION: Overall condition is very good. There probably has been slight paint touch-up at some point to the facial features, however little else has been changed in its more than 100 years of existence. Dimensions: 37 - 1/4" x 32" x 14".