AUTOMATON BIRD IN CAGE

AUTOMATON BIRD IN CAGE

This arrived and was in a very poor state the feathers were grey and lifeless and the birdsong mechanics were not working very well, sounded like the bird was being strangled!!  The internal foam below the movements was disintegrating and the brass coating was patchy and covered with fingerprints where people had constantly picked it up to wind the music.  Again forgot to take photo of entire item on arrival, sorry must remember to do this.........  I took a non-conservation approach to this project  as it was not for a museum but a private client.  I had discussed their requirements prior to commencing the work, they wanted the feathers replaced and to get it working again.

View of feathers and birdie base without the cage top

After removal of base from movement to reveal the extent of the disintegrating foam

To get the music box working I constantly tested the mechanism, used some very fine clock oil to ease the workings, made some adjustments and replaced the foam on several levers using 1mm thin white Plastazote™.  The top part of the beak was static with the lower beak being moved by two internal levers.  One mechanism moved the head from side to side and the other pushed the beak open. The same mechanism moved the upwards and downwards movement of the wagging tail.

I removed all the disintegrating foam mechanically and replaced it with thin white Plastazote™ which was the original thickness as I needed to screw down the top workings again.  I removed the discoloured leaves from the brass bird perch and I removed the discoloured feathers from the bird.  The only adhesive to stick the new feathers onto its plastic body was a contact adhesive, I tested other methods to stick the feathers on, Paraloid, Copydex, Balsa Cement but no, I needed an adhesive that held the feather in place and in position. I was surprised to discover that the body of the bird was made of some form of plastic. After research I discovered that they stopped making these in the 1940's so I assume that this was one of the later models made by Bontems where they introduced more modern materials.  At possibly 70 years old, I was relieved that the plastic hadn't deteriorated.

Putting on the new feathers

The branches that were wound around the perch had been made using wire covered in satin-like thread. I painted the textile leaves using Golden colours to tone in with the faded green leaves that were present.   I then wound them around the perch as they had been prior to removal.  I decided to remove the patina from the base and the cage top as it was missing in places and unsightly.  I then airbrushed several coats onto the metal with amber tinted nitrocellulose lacquer.

The cage base with the patina removed.

THE FINISHED BIRD

The finished cage with full working chirping!!

I tried to download a film of my birdie but didn't manage it. I have found some videos on youtube though, one of the internal mechanism and another of an American chap who has done his own restoration.