# Miniature Engineering 1820



## kustomkb (Jul 5, 2011)

Got a few million to spare?



http://www.christies.com/singing-bird-pistols-en-1422-3.aspx


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## lazylathe (Jul 5, 2011)

WOW!!!! th_confused0052

That is all i can say..... 

Andrew


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## b.lindsey (Jul 5, 2011)

Total amazement at the mechanics, craftsmanship, and beauty of those!!! Thanks for sharing it.

Bill


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## ChooChooMike (Jul 5, 2011)

OMG !!! Just seeing the animated mechanism - WOW !!  th_confused0052

:bow: :bow: to the maker(s) of 200 years ago - 1820 !!!


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## mklotz (Jul 5, 2011)

Beyond the incredible artistry and craftsmanship what is amazing to me is the "why" of this particular piece. Automata, especially singing birds, have been popular since the days of the ancient Greeks. But what artistic impulse led to the idea that a singing bird popping out of a pistol would be something worth spending a lot of money to make? It's just such a curious juxtaposition.

There's another puzzlement here. Anybody who watches Antiques Roadshow knows that craftsmanship doesn't pull in the big money. Picasso's idle scratchings on the back of cereal boxes will bring six figure prices but an exquisite hunter repeater pocket watch will bring four figures. So why are these pistols expected to bring millions? It must be the combination of external bling, a hidden function and the rarity/cool factor.


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## ShedBoy (Jul 5, 2011)

Truly amazing work considreing what was available at that time when it comes to machinery. Who is going to replicate that?
Brock


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## bentprop (Jul 5, 2011)

Marv,I think the gold content,inlaid diamonds, and other jewels may be part of the huge estimate.If you got ridiculous amounts of money burning a hole in your pocket,I guess it's the ideal conversation piece.


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## kustomkb (Jul 5, 2011)

I hear ya Marv, definitely a strange piece. Maybe instead of dueling it out with pistols, we should be singing bird calls to one another. Kind of a make love not war thing.

Who knows...

Or maybe it's like;

 "Hey, I just pillaged so much gold and jewels from the colony. Whatever shall I do with it?"

"I'll pay a master craftsman to work day and night until I have something that no one else has, or ever will!"

Today's buyer;

"Dang, if I knew cutting their wages by 2.5% would fetch me an extra $500M a year, I would have done it a long time ago."

"Now I can finally afford to get me my singing pistols!"


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## mklotz (Jul 5, 2011)

bentprop  said:
			
		

> Marv,I think the gold content,inlaid diamonds, and other jewels may be part of the huge estimate.If you got ridiculous amounts of money burning a hole in your pocket,I guess it's the ideal conversation piece.



Given their diminutive size, I can't see the jewels and gold being worth much more than $xxK - certainly not millions. The perceived value must be some combination of uniqueness, rarity and craftsmanship.


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## AssassinXCV (Jul 8, 2011)

Dare someone here to make one from just looking at that 3D animation. :bow:

Ian


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## Rayanth (Jul 8, 2011)

AssassinXCV  said:
			
		

> Dare someone here to make one from just looking at that 3D animation. :bow:



Damn you, Assassin.... now you've got me thinking.

-Ryan


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## T70MkIII (Jul 8, 2011)

mklotz  said:
			
		

> The perceived value must be some combination of uniqueness, rarity and craftsmanship.



And marketing - thanks, Christies...


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## tel (Jul 8, 2011)

Not that I can't appreciate the fine craftsmanship that's gone into those, but damn they're ugly!


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## kvom (Jul 8, 2011)

Sold for $5.8M!


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## GOOFY063 (Jul 8, 2011)

a fool and his money parted :big: :big:


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## PhillyVa (Jul 8, 2011)

Hmmm 5.8M for a well made toy...Pockets plenty deep. :big: Craftmanship :bow:

Philly


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