LEOPOLD LAMBERT automaton doll. France, ca. 1890

LEOPOLD LAMBERT automaton doll. France, ca. 1890.
"Spanish mandolin player".
Porcelain head and hands. Glass eyes and period clothing.
Works.
A similar specimen has been photographed and cataloged in Cristian Bailly's book "Automaten Das Goldene Zeitalter 1848-1914", Hirmer, p. 191.
Measurements: 62 x 20 x 27,5 cm.

Automaton doll by the Frenchman Leopold Lambert, made around 1890, representing a Spanish mandolin player dressed in regional costumes. When wound up, the young lady moves her head to the rhythm of the music while playing the mandolin with both hands. Her right leg, which crosses over her left, moves to the music causing the skirts of her dress to rise delicately.

Leopold Lambert was one of the most important creators of automaton dolls in France at the time.

Automaton dolls are mechanical figures that imitate the life of the time, sometimes in a parody tone. They have complex movements that allow them to do different things once they are wound up, such as dance, play musical instruments or even smoke. These were not toys intended for children, but were collector's items treasured by an adult audience.