Dog – Musical Inkwell with French Bulldogs

This piece is a combination music box / inkwell. It features two brown patinated bronze French bulldogs looking at their food dish and a butterfly. The dish houses the inkwell – a cobalt blue glass insert that fits perfectly. When one lifts the food dish to access the inkwell, music starts playing, and the butterfly spins.

The piece is signed on the base “E Samson”. Emile Samson, a French sculptor was born in 1837 and died in 1913.

On the wooden bottom of the piece, in addition to the wind-up key, there is a label affixed. At the top, it reads “Chevob & Co late Baker, Troll & Co Geneva”, a company known for their cylinder music boxes.

In the middle of the label is printed “AIRS”. Underneath, written in hand are the names of the pieces to be played. The handwriting is faded and difficult to read. “Romeo and Juliette” is there. Then something that begins with “La”. Listening to the music box play, the piece sounded like the English tune, “Oh dear! What can the matter be?”

Along the bottom of the label is written: “By special appoint to HH the Khedive”. HH the Khedive was the ruler (sultan) of Egypt until 1914. The label signifies the sultan approved of this piece.