Antique singing bird box automaton in ormolu mounted tortoiseshell. A fine French tortoiseshell singing bird box with ormolu mounts of winged females. On sliding the operating lever the lid opens and the full bodied bird pops through the grille & begins singing. It has a moving ivory beak, the bird turns, flaps his wings and tail and after his performance pops down through the grille & the lid lowers France circa 1890. 4 inches wide by 2.25 inches deep by 1.75 inches high (10 cm by 5.625 cm by 4.375 cm.