Rectangular stone inlaid gold-plated bird sound cage

[Rectangular stone inlaid gold-plated bird sound cage]

Rectangular stone inlaid gold-plated bird sound cage, made in France at the end of the 19th century, 71 cm high and 41 cm wide × 30 cm
This birdcage is a mechanical toy. The traditional birdcage was originally made of bamboo strips, but this birdcage was made of gold-plated copper wire, and its shape has western style. The base is equipped with a mechanical device to control the movement and song of birds. After the winding started, all the static scenes in the cage changed instantly with the sound of the music. The two roosting birds began to turn their heads and open their beaks at the same time, and their wings and tails shook from time to time. The butterflies on the trees were fluttering to fly, and the streams among the mountains and rocks were gurgling. Bird cage is one of the main types of mechanical toys in the Forbidden City, which is not only numerous in number, but also in various forms. This birdsong cage is exquisite in design and complex in moving mechanism. It is the best of its kind