Musical Clown Equilibriste Automaton by Roullet et Decamps, c. 1

With plaster-composition head, original paint and clown make-up, fixed blue paperweight eyes, mohair wig, original pink satin costume and conical hat, balancing on painted metal ladder on velvet-covered base with printed paisley velvet cover, going-barrel motor and single-air cylinder movement, ht. lowered 24 in. (61 cm) including hat, raised 28 ½ in. (72 cm). With brass Roullet et Decamps stop/start and 7 ½-inch (19 cm) steel key, (minor paint loss). Overall good original working condition. – The clown rises to a handstand position, lowers himself and then rises again, this time lifting his left hand from the ladder so that his body arcs and his legs bend slightly. – Literature: Bailly, "Automata, the Golden Age", p. 132.

布雷克拍品等级是为了方便竞买人判断拍卖品的成色而设置的。布雷克等级用1到6级来标注外观和功能的成色，(从非常好到非常差)。 在目录图册里用括号里的2个数字来表示，前一个数字表示外观成色的级别，后一个数字表示功能成色的级别。如(3/2)表示外观成色是3(满意的)，功能成色2(好)。 成色 定义参照下列标准： 1 - 非常好 (未使用过，没有使用痕迹) 2 - 好 (新，极少的使用痕迹) 3 - 满意的 (普通的使用痕迹) 4 - 及格的 (明显的使用痕迹，某个非主要部件是后配的) 5 - 有缺陷的 (极明显的使用痕迹, 某个主要部件是后配的，功能上有缺陷，需要修理) 6 - 非常差 (严重破损, 缺少重要部件)