Sunday, May 27, 2012
Coin Op Mortuary
She Walks Softly has become a daily respite for my hankerings. Dana has all the senses working overtime. Stop in and take a peek.
“St. Dennistoun Mortuary” Coin-Operated Automaton, attributed to Leonard Lee, c. 1900, the mahogany cabinet and glazed viewing area displays a Greek Revival mortuary building with double doors and grieving mourners out front, when a coin is inserted, doors open and the room is lighted revealing four morticians and four poor souls on embalming tables, the morticians move as if busily at work on their grisly task and mourners standing outside bob their heads as if sobbing in grief, ht. 30 1/2, wd. 24, dp. 17 1/4 in.
Estimate $4,000-6,000
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1 comments:
I have fond memories of similar automata machine tableau at various seaside arcades of my youth. You can still find them in slot machine museums if you are lucky. I always enjoyed "The Drunkards Dream" as the old soak leans against a graveyard crypt and when the penny is dropped the tomstones slowly turn round to reveal skeletons and qhostly figures!
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