My 2 cents....I think this was made for store window display or in store display or could have even been made for a . Don't believe that many were made due to the costly materials used. Looks like it came from the early 1920 - 1930's time period.
If it works in great condition, you can easily get $200++ from a collector. Believe me, automata are highly collectible!
I don't know about these folks...but it would be worth your time to see if they had any ideas about your piece, it's origin, etc. They may not answer, or be a terrific resource! The House of Automata
http://automatomania.co.uk/contact/