Collection of singing-bird boxes (enamel & silver-gilt)

Top right: A SWISS ENAMELLED SILVER-GILT SINGING-BIRD BOX by Charles Bruguier (1788-1862), the movement struck with mark 'C.BRUGUIER A GENEVE' and numbered 430, Geneva, circa 1860 Rectangular box with receding lobed corners, the sides and base engine-turned and engraved with flowersprays and blank reserves, the cover enamelled with a mountainous riverside landscape within a scrolling border partly enamelled in blue, the sides cast with four drop-shaped corners, a slide on the front side opening the hinged oval flap enamelled with a mountainous riverside landscape view at the outside and with a flowerspray on a pale blue ground at the inside, and releasing the mechanism of the colourfully plumed singing bird rotating on its axis, flapping its wings, wagging its tail, turning its head and opening its beak, the associated key in rear key compartment 3¾ in. (95 mm.) wide Lower right: A SWISS ENAMELLED SILVER-GILT SINGING-BIRD BOX by Lamy, the movement scratched in with 'Lamy rue d'Enfer à Genève' and numbered 'EPG/WG 3/81', Geneva, circa 1880 Rectangular box, the cover, baluster sides and base engine-turned and engraved with blank reserves, flowersprays and shells in the corners, the bulging parts of the sides engraved with bands of stylised acanthus and with ribbon-twist bands, a slide on the front side opening the hinged oval flap enamelled with a a view of Lake Geneva with the Salève and the Mont Blanc in the background, a flowerspray on a white ground at the inside, and releasing the mechanism of the colourfully plumed singing bird rotating on its axis, flapping its wings, turning its head and opening its beak, the key in rear key compartment 3.15/16 in. (100 mm.) wide Top left: A SWISS ENAMELLED SILVER-GILT SINGING-BIRD BOX by Charles Bruguier (1788-1862), the movement struck with mark 'C.BRUGUIER A GENEVE' and numbered 151, Geneva, circa 1850 Rectangular box, the sides and base engine-turned and engraved with scrolls and foliage, the cover set with two oblong vertical reserves chased with flowers on a matted ground, the centre enamelled with translucent blue basse-taille foliage, within opaque blue enamelled borders, a slide on the front side opening the hinged oval flap enamelled with a mountainous lakeside view of Lake Geneva at the outside and with a flowerspray at the inside, and releasing the mechanism of the colourfully plumed singing bird rotating on its axis, flapping its wings, wagging its tail, turning its head and opening its beak, the key in rear key compartment 35/8 in. (92 mm.) wide Lower left: A SWISS ENAMELLED SILVER-GILT SINGING-BIRD BOX by Charles Bruguier (1788-1862), the movement struck with mark 'C.BRUGUIER A GENEVE' and numbered 200, also scratched in with address 'Charles Bruguier au grand Prés à Geneve', Geneva, circa 1850 Rectangular box, the sides and base engine-turned and engraved with trophies of Music and flowersprays, the cover engraved with flowers and scrolls on a blue enamelled champlevé ground surrounding a shaped reserve enamelled with flowersprays on a light-blue ground, a slide on the front side opening the hinged oval flap enamelled with a mountainous riverside landscape view at the outside and with a flowerspray on a turquoise blue ground at the inside, and releasing the mechanism of the colourfully plumed shy singing bird rotating on its axis, flapping its wings, turning its head and opening its beak, the key in rear key compartment 35/8 in. (92 mm.) wide