I found several references to cradles like your's including the biography of a man from Manitowoc, Wisconsin who supposedly 'invented' the automatic cradle. He founded the Automatic Cradle Company and designed one after a suggestion from his wife. There were numerous patents approved for such devices after the mid 1890s through the first decade of the twentieth century. I also found some antique appraisals of similar finds and saw values of around $250 to $300 for properly working models. I think you have an authentic antique. I would wonder if you could not find the drawings for them from old patents if you can find a searchable database.

Now, as to fixing it up and giving it to your cousin.....super, but I'd warn you even refurbished it would probably not pass a muster for actually using it for a baby because of the spindle spacing and also the spring. If you've never seen a spring under tension fracture, then you couldn't appreciate the power it contains, perhaps being able to even puncture a thin crib mattress. Certainly enough to deliver a heck of a wallop.

Good luck in your search. I used an antique cradle with one of my foster babies and it was the perfect size until she was able to sleep in a standard crib. It's a really lovely old novelty.

What a beautiful cradle. I would see about fixing it up for your family. Perhaps you could figure out a way to stabilize the bed and add a nice mattress and bumper.

I had a much simpler one made for our kids in the '70s, and then spiffed it up with new linens and a bumper for the grands. It is a great addition to a home. I used mine as a downstairs bed when the babies were tiny so that I was not running up and downstairs all day long.