Artobject Detail – Willa Cather Foundation Collections

Hummingbird Automata Music Box

Maker: Unknown

Object Date: circa 1910

Full Collection: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Collection

Object Type: Musical Instruments

Credit Line: OBJ-296-017. University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Archives & Special Collections. Willa Cather Foundation Collections and Archives at the National Willa Cather Center, in Red Cloud, Nebraska.

Context:

Unknown maker, but possibly Bontems in Paris, circa 1910. This musical, mechanical toy originated in Europe and was perhaps created by Maison Bontems, a well-known maker of music boxes, snuff boxes, and singing birds-in-cages. Outfitted with real feathers, the mechanical bird flutters and turns its head as the wind-up movement turns and creates whistling birdsong. This particular bird and cage was part of Edith Lewis's estate and likely was a fixture of the home during Cather's lifetime. These birds were extremely popular during the interwar years, and at least one of Cather's acquaintances—Nikolai Fechin—had a similar model.