Video of bizarre coin-operated mortuary scene automaton that is to go to auction

Skinner will have its next Auction this Saturday, June 2, 2012 in Marlborough, Massachusetts. In addition to clocks, fossils, scientific instruments and antique weapons, the auction will feature a handful of antique automata. Probably the most interesting of these is this "St. Dennistoun Mortuary" coin-operated automaton.

This remarkable piece is attributed to Leonard Lee and dated to around 1900. Housed in a mahogany cabinet with glass front, the scene depicts a mortuary building, complete with grieving mourners just outside the entrance.

From the Skinner catalog description:

...when a coin is inserted, doors open and the room is lighted revealing four morticians and four poor souls on embalming tables, the morticians move as if busily at work on their grisly task and mourners standing outside bob their heads as if sobbing in grief...

The automaton measures 30 1/2 inches high by 24 inches wide and 17 1/4 inches deep. Its value is estimated to be between $4,000 to 6,000 USD. I would love to know where this thing was placed for coin-operated use! Most likely this was an arcade amusement.

Here are the auction details
Date: June 2, 2012, 10am
Preview Times:
   May 31, 2012, 12pm - 5pm
   June 1, 2012, 12pm - 7pm
   June 2, 2012, 8am - 9:30am
Location: 274 Cedar Hill Street, Marlborough, MA

Here is the Skinner's Science, Technology & Clocks page where the online catalog may be viewed.

[ Thanks Steve! ]

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Paul Spooner interview from the Cabaret Mechanical Theatre archives

Sue Jackson, founder of Cabaret Mechanical Theatre, shared this video from their archives. The clip features an interview with legendary automaton maker Paul Spooner on the TV program This Morning. I love his cheeky answers which are both amusing and completely candid. It's a delightful interview with a clever man.

You can see more of Paul Spooner's automata by visiting Cabaret Mechanical Theatre online.

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Kinetic sculpture uses water, air bubbles, and a toilet flush mechanism

Take a look at this fantastic sculpture by Andrew Smith titled Exhaler V. The piece features an enclosed water tank inside of which a capsule is slowly lifted by a stream of air bubbles. Upon breaking the surface of the water at the top, a toilet flush mechanism is triggered, causing the capsule to descent again so the process can be repeated. Very inventive!

See more sculptures by Andrew Smith on his web site.

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Programmable acrobat robot with 17 servos and 75 moves

Check out this is acrobatic robot! The robot has a repertoire of 75 moves that include somersaults, backflips, and a variety of comical moves.

From the Advanced Acrobatic Robot description:

With a 60 MHz microcontroller, the robot has 17 servos that work in unison with an included gyro sensor and accelerometer to maintain balance and stability while providing lightning-quick movements that suggest humanoid sentience, commanded by an included wireless gamepad remote control. The points of articulation in its neck, arms, hands, legs, and feet are so precise that the robot can be commanded to pick up and hold objects with its hands, feign a soccer kick, or punch the air as if it were performing a martial arts kata-it can even bow to its audience after a performance.

The robot comes with software that works on Windows 7, XP, and 2000 allowing you to program additional actions via an included USB cable.

Here is where you can get the programmable acrobatic robot.

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Pendulum-powered bobbing paper bird project with plans!

Here's a really clever paper project designed by artist/engineer, Rob Ives. The paper bird is powered by a pendulum in the base. When you move the box, even slightly, and the bird comes to life bobbing up and down. Rob Ives has created free plans for this project, complete with instructions and downloadable patterns!

Here where you can get the plans and instructions for the pendulum-powered paper bird project.

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Among the automata at the Morris Museum in New Jersey

The Paris Review recently featured a great article on the the Morris Museum and its fascinating collection of automata and mechanical music machines.

From the article Among the Automata:

The collection's permanent exhibit, more whimsical than steampunk in aesthetic, attracts huge numbers of schoolchildren during the week. Even empty, though, it felt busy, alive with click and chime and jingle. The sound is artificial: the objects are designed to move, but in a museum setting and for conservation purposes, they mainly can't. Behind their glass cases, the automata look more or less like dolls, albeit gorgeous in a kind of Baudelairean "old acrobat" way. But the museum provides videos in which the visitor can watch them move: the blinking calfskin eyelids, lips pulling back over a mouth of sharpened teeth, jointed fingertips tapping as they meander over a flute. There are animals, too: suede pigs with bellows inside them so they squeal while walking around on their little wheeled feet, a wind-up peacock that spreads its real feathered tail, a mournful-looking tiger that jerks suddenly upright.

Here is where you can read the full article Among the Automata by Jenny Hendrix.

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Two-legged walking robot toy moves via shape-memory alloy

I was introduced to robotics and shape-memory alloys when I bought the book Stiquito for Beginners: An Introduction to Robotics and made the small hexapod robot that comes with the book as a kit. The clever little two-legged inchworm robot shown here is powered by the same Muscle Wire, also known as Nitinol. Nitinol is nickle/titanium allow that will return to a pre-defined shape when brought to specific temperatures. Heat from an electrical current causes it to contract, making this little inchworm take tiny steps. Though the Stiquito was fun to make, this robot looks like an even better introduction because the design is simple, robust, and moves along a bit better.

From the Inchworm Robot description:

Each BioMetal Fiber Walking Robot Inchworm has one strand of BioMetal Fiber. When current is applied, the fiber heats up and contracts. This pulls the Inchworm's feet apart. When the current is stopped, the fiber cools and expands. Add a little grippy fabric on the bottom of each foot and the spring to return it to its original position, and you can easily see how the little inchworm can walk along most non-slick surfaces.

Here is where you can get your own BioMetal Fiber Walking Robot Inchworm. Here are some items for those interested in Stiquito robots. The basic Stiquito (as shown on the book cover, right) is controlled manually like the Inchworm. You have to push the button to provide the electrical current that causes the muscle wire to contract. The newer Stiquito book uses a microcontroller to provide the current automatically for a more autonomous robot.

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Metal kinetic sculpture by Todd Dunning

Have a look at this fascinating kinetic sculpture by artist Todd Dunning titled Mount Rainier. I love the rusty parts, gentle squeaking, interesting forms, and how the piece shakes ever-so-slightly as it moves. Lovely video too!

From the YouTube Description:

First in a series, this 48" H. welded steel sculpture oscillates, shakes and squeaks. 'Mount Rainier' analogizes the complexity of natural systems, according to the artist.

[ Thanks Christoph! ]

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Automata Exhibition: 'Child Soldiers' by Carlos Zapata

Automaton artist Carlos Zapata was born in conflict-torn Colombia in 1963. The themes in some of his work come from a personal awareness that children are all too often used in armed conflict. His new exhibition, 'Child Soldiers', addresses sad fact.

About the exhibit:

This solo exhibition contains Carlos Zapata's latest series of intimate and emotive sculptures and automata which have at their core the humanitarian often violent struggle of the innocent, often children, who are drawn in to the maelstrom of war.

Elaborating on experiences from his own personal life, Zapata delves into the human stories behind war from both ends of the spectrum - how people deal with, and deal out, violence. What people are capable of when confronted by extreme circumstances - bravery and cowardliness alike. Put simply Zapata says "death and survival comes on a daily basis for some people"

Shown below is an automaton from the exhibit titled 'Beating':

The show will open at Millennium in Cornwall, UK on May 25th and run until June 19th. You can learn more about the 'Child Soldiers' sculpture and automata exhibit by Carlos Zapata at the Millennium web site.

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Monster Head Study No. 5 - A Nasty Little Devil!

Has it been since last November that I last shared with you one of my little monster head studies? Wow. For a some background, here is where you can catch up on my posts about Monster Head Study No. 1, Monster Head Study No. 2, Monster Head Study No. 3, and Monster Head Study No. 4. This one is No. 5.

As with the all of the wooden monster heads thus far, this one started out as a 1 inch diameter hardwood ball. These come in packs of 12. Though they have no knots, they are very hard and difficult carve with hand tools. As with Monster Head No. 4, much of this one was shaped by holding it against a 1 inch stationary belt sander. Mine is an old homemade tool, but it's basically like the one shown below (but not quite as nice). It's amazing how much "carving" I do on this machine.

Once again, the head is a sphere. Two of flat planes form the nose and eye areas. The mouth was also shaped on the sander by using the edge of the sanding belt to notch into the wooden ball. I like the downward turn of the lower part of his mouth. I think it makes him look like he may be saying something unfriendly.

The eyes are a little different on this one. I found a package of assorted wooden beads and selected a dark spherical one about 3/8" in diameter. Using an Xacto Razor Saw, I somehow cut slices off of opposite sides where the hole is located. I then cut angled pieces off the top of each one to give they eyes that angry look. The bead slices were then glued on either side of the nose.

I cut a tiny wooden wheel in half and those became the ears for the monster. They are like these wooden wheels, but even smaller -- only about 1/2" in diameter. The ends of a 10" bamboo skewers became the horns. These pieces were glued into holes drilled into the top of the head.

Of the five monsters presented so far, I like this one best. He looks like a nasty little devil, but still has a whimsical quality. He'd be fun to watch from a distance, but you wouldn't want him running loose in your house. I like the proportion and placement of the horns. I also like bulging, dark eyes. And, those tiny wooden wheels make surprisingly good ears!

That's all for now. There are many more monster head studies to come so stay tuned.

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Keith Newstead making the Don Quixote Automaton

Here's a lovely bit of video from our friends at Cabaret Mechanical Theatre. The video features automatist Keith Newstead working on a Don Quixotie automaton. Along the way, he defines automata, where his ideas come from, how cams work, and various other details of the automaton's creation. Also shown in the video are Keith Newstead's works Under the Sea, The Flying Couch Potato, and The Brassy Mermaid. Wonderful stuff!

[ Recently on Spiel und Kunst mit Mechanik blog ]

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Contemporary automata addressing social issues

Contemporary automata are often fun and whimsical. This playful nature can mask the fact that they are also capable of taking on serious social issues. Here is an automaton by Nick Hunn that makes a statement about the a serious political debate in the UK.

The artist explains the background of this automaton:

In the UK there's a political debate raging about reform in our National Health Service, which is polarising opinion at a national level. I thought it might be fun to try and represent the limited abilities of the political figures involved in the debate. And what better way than to reprise the theme of the three wise monkeys, oblivious to everything that goes on around them.

Not only does the artist get to say something about the socio-political debate, but he is able to do it in a humorous way. Like the political cartoon, automata can engage with a broad audiences -- perhaps provoking them to think about and discuss important issues.

To see some other automata that address social issues:

• Jon Haddock's automata entitled Andrew Meyer (Don't Tase Me Bro') and The Doctor's Dilemma
• Arrogance, an automaton by Pablo Lavezarri
• Dominic Wilcox series of miniature kinetic sculptures
• The background history of Tippoo's Tiger - automaton and organ
• Shipwreck, an automaton by Carlos Zapata
• Against the Idea of War - automata exhibit by the Modern Automata Museum

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Miniature kinetic sculptures using tiny figures mounted to watch hands

Artist Dominic Wilcox has created a series of miniature kinetic sculptures using tiny figures adhered to the face and hands of vintage watches. Each diminutive scene is then covered with a clear dome. The collection covers a variety of subjects including protest, surveillance, technology, money, and sports. The gleaming watch bezels and tiny candy-red figures are a fascinating and unexpected medium for exploring social issues. Many have playful, surreal themes.

See more of Dominic Wilcox's watch sculptures on his web site.

[ Thanks Karin! ]

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Scuba Diver automaton by Ernie Reynolds

Check out the excellent motions of this scuba diver automaton by maker Ernie Reynolds!

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Humor in Craft book featuring automata is now shipping from Amazon!

If you've spent any time reading The Automata / Automaton Blog, you know that an element of humor is common to many automata, especially the contemporary ones. This fact wasn't lost on the creators of the book Humor in Craft. They have included the work of at least one automaton artist, namely Jim Kransberger. One of his pieces is shown on the cover (the red-headed potter). Three others will be found within the book which is now available from Amazon.com.

From the book description:

What happens when professional craft artists are allowed to let loose – when they get to explore their mischievous and irreverent sides? Find out in this groundbreaking book, which, for the very first time, reveals an entirely different side of "serious" craft. Hundreds of images and essays from all over the world allow you to gain insight into the creative minds of contemporary artists like never before. A variety of traditional craft media are shown, such as furniture, ceramics, glass, fiber, jewelry, and metal, as well as a number of unique, nontraditional techniques.

Here is where you can get the book Humor in Craft featuring the automata of Jim Kransberger.

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Automata presentation will address the question: conservation or restoration?

More than a year ago, the Morris Museum initiated a program of one-hour, evening "Spotlight" presentations, each focusing on a different aspect of the Murtogh D. Guinness collection. Specific automata and/or mechanical musical instruments are brought out of both the exhibition and storage to illustrate their role in the arts, music and/or society. This usually sparks a vigorous discussion by the audience.

During the upcoming program on May 24th, Jere Ryder, Guinness Collection Conservator, will discuss conservation ethics as they relate to automata. One of the subjects -- a Clown Guitarist by Leopold Lambert -- is shown here before and after restoration. Mr. Ryder is a member of the American Institute for Conservation (AIC).

The program will include a rare behind-the-scenes look at the fragile textiles, costuming and inner workings of these ingenious mechanical dolls. The program also includes live demonstrations of select automata from the Guinness Collection.

Location: Morris Museum, 6 Normandy Heights Rd., Morristown, NJ
Date: Thursday - May 24th, 2012
Time: 6-7pm
Cost: $7 for bembers / $9 for non-members
Call 973-971-3706 to pre-register, spots are limited.
For more Information visit: www.morrismuseum.org

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The character of contemporary automata and some possible implications for engineering

There is an interesting article from 2010 over at the Low-Tech Magazine blog. The article is titled Automata: engineering for a post-oil world?. The article touches on the history of automata, the character of contemporary automata, and how together these things might suggest an alternate approach to technology and engineering in the future. It's not a thesis that is developed in detail, but there are some keen insights in this brief article. It does gives us something to think about.

Shown above is an automataon called Diamonds are for Ever by Carlos Zapata.

Here is the article titled Automata: engineering for a post-oil world?.

[ Thanks Dean! ]

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Last clock repair school in the U.S. to close despite high demand for clock repairers

Last Clock Repair School to Close
The National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors (NAWCC) announced that their School of Horology in Columbia, Pennsylvania will soon close. In response to this sad news, Bob Frishman wrote an article for the May, 2012 issue of the Maine Antique Digest. Frishman is a clock expert and restorer, speaker, author, and founder of Bell-Time Clocks in Andover, Massachusetts. His article, titled Last Clock Repair School to Close, describes the closing of the school from the perspective of someone who has been working with clocks for a long time. Though thousands of antique clocks are bought and sold every year, and new mechanical clocks are still being made, Frishman wonders (rightly) who will fix these mechanical marvels in the years to come. At present, the picture is not a pretty one:

As my clock repair colleagues and I get even older and more tired, we eventually will have to throw in our towels and tools. Unless we are replaced by others with valid training, all Westminster chime clocks will sound from battery-powered 3" speakers, fancy pendulums will hang lifeless, and antique clocks will stand as mute reminders of another once-grand industry and profession lost forever.

Here is where you can read Bob Frishman's complete article in the Main Antique Digest: Last Clock Repair School to Close.

Enrollments Could Save the School
The School of Horology only needs a dozen full time students to stay open and a dozen more to thrive. If enough people are made aware of the situation, the school may be able get the enrollments they need to remain open. We won't lose a valuable set of skilled workers and all of those amazing mechanical clocks out there will stand a much better chance of being well-maintained for posterity.

• Do you know a young person looking for a vocation?
• Are you looking to change careers?
• How would you like a fruitful hobby to pursue in retirement?

If you or someone you know would like to pursue this program, I urge you to visit The School of Horology web page and use the contact page to get in touch with them. You can also donate to the organization and specify that your gift be used for the school. At the very least, spread the word to others by referring them to this post. Thank you!

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Half Ounce automaton by Nick Rayburn

I posted a while back about this fascinating automaton by Nick Rayburn titled Half Ounce. The beautifully crafted wood and brass sculpture also incorporates a unique assemblage of found objects including an antique letter balance, spirit bubble level, feathers, and a bird skull! Now that is something you can't find just anywhere.

The piece is currently available on eBay. Here is where you can see more photos and/or bid on the Half Ounce automaton by Nick Rayburn.

You might also be interested in checking out his version of the classic tapping fingers automaton titled The Waiting Hand (shown in the video below). As is typical of Nick Rayburn, the craftsmanship is superb! Should you buy one of these limited edition pieces, you will be in good company. Other purchasers include Guillermo del Torro (director of Pan's Labyrinth), Ron Kalin (founder of Etsy), Adam Savage of Mythbusters and the English writer Anthony Horowitz!

Here is the eBay listing for The Waiting Hand automaton by Nick Rayburn.

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Mechanical Moose Sculpture article by Charles Mak

Another good friend of The Automata / Automaton Blog, Charles Mak, has an article in the June edition of Creative Woodworks & Crafts magazine. In it, you will find plans and instructions for making the clever automaton shown in the photo above.

From the article introduction:

Why limit your scroll sawing skills to making plaques, puzzles, or portraits only? With a scroll saw, you can build one-of-a-kind mechanical sculptures (a layman's term for automata) that are not only fun to design and make, but also to play with. I titled this wildlife piece "Running for their Lives" because it depicts a herd of moose running away from their predator (a grizzly bear crank handle)! The mechanism used in this project is called a crank slider, which converts rotational motion to back-and-forth motion. You can use the same mechanical design to feature other characters (joggers, for example) or other scenes. The character and design choices are limitless.

Here is where you can order the issue of Creative Woodworks & Crafts magazine with Charles Mak's article about how to make a hand-cranked wood automaton.

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Two Foto Animator: hand-cranked optical animation machine

A very good friend to The Automata / Automaton Blog, Joe Freedman of LEAFpdx in Portland, Oregon has come up with another great laser-cut wooden machine. If you don't recall, Freedman has brought us the hand-cranked Retroscope animation machine, the Weird Gears box set, and the divine PrimoGraf drawing machine among other things.

He's done it again with his latest optical animation toy called the Two Foto Animator shown here. The machine is made of cherry and walnut with brass fittings. The project is now seeking funding on Kickstarter.com.

From the Kickstarter description:

The neat thing about two image animation is that your brain does all the drawing of the in-between frames. If you see a photo of a person with an arm that is raised and then another photo with the arm lowered, your brain says 'Aha, there must be motion!' And then your brain makes the motion seamless. Very cool! Since you're only using two photos for each movie, it's easy to produce your own animation cards. Think of it as a real life steampunk animated gif!

The good news is they have already met their minimum goal. Joe Freedman produces carefully crafted products, but he always has ideas to make them even better. It's not to late too contribute! The extra funding will allow him include more features. This is sure to be delightful optical toy!

Here's a link to the Two Foto Animator page on Kickstarter.

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Victorian-era robotic training arm by Pablo Lavezzari

Automata maker Pablo Lavezzari has just gotten in touch to tell me about his new piece entitled Vintage Training Robotic Arm. The piece depicts a mechanical hand and arm made of wood, copper, and bronze. The automaton is operated via a complex system of levers, pulleys and wires, as though it were a robot from the Victorian era that had yet to be hooked up to a steam power source and Jacquard loom punch-card program.

As usual, the artist has a keen attention to detail. The robotic arm comes with a test which entails grasping a ball, picking it up, and moving from one station to another while an hourglass tracks your time to the grain.

A round-up of posts and links about robotic training arms:

• Fantastic robotic arm made entirely from wood 
• Build and operate a Darth Vader robotic arm 
• Edge Robotic Arm Kit 
• The Robotic Chess Companion
• LEGO Mindstorms Robotics Invention System 2.0 - Robotics
• OWI Robotic Arm Trainer

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Michael and Maria Start from The House of Automata discuss automata in the modern age

Our good friends Michael and Maria Start who run the House of Automata in Scotland are two of the world's foremost restorers of antique automata. Michael served as the horological and automata expert on the recent film Hugo. The couple is featured in this short BBC audio-enhanced slideshow, in which they talk about the long history of automata, their love for automata, and why other people are drawn to these mechanical wonders. Well done!

Here's where you can see the the Automata in the modern age audio-enhanced slide show.

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The postcard writing and stamping Rube Goldberg contraption

In case (no pun intended) you missed it, this video shows a marvelous Rube Goldberg (or Heath Robinson, if you prefer) contraption contained within two suitcases. Its purpose: stamp a message on a postcard and apply the postage.

From the Vimeo description:

Conveniently built in two old suitcases, Melvin the Mini Machine is a Rube Goldberg machine specifically designed to travel the world. Each time Melvin fully completes a run, he 'signs' a postcard and sticks a stamp to it - making it ready to be sent.

You can more about this machine and it's bigger brother on the Melvin the Machine web site.

[ Thanks Aaron! ]

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Andrew Baron's essay about his time restoring the Maillardet drawing automaton

In 2007, the marvelous Maillardet automaton at the Franklin Institute was in need of some attention. Andrew Baron from New Mexico was selected for the restoration work. How does it come to pass that a man best known for his clever paper engineering for pop-up books ends up work on a two hundred year old metal automaton?

Andrew Baron has created an essay and web site to answer this question. On the web site, we also learn about his association with the author of The Invention of Hugo Cabret, Brian O. Selznick. The essay offers other fascinating details of Baron's time with the Maillardet automaton. Take for example, this excerpt in which we learn that he was able to restore motions to the automaton that had not been seen in recent history:

The restoration detail I'm most proud of is that I was able to restore the graceful, life-like movement of the automaton's head and eyes, as though the moving figure is thoughtfully engaged in its own act of creation. Although the automaton had seen prior and major restoration efforts between 1871 and 1981, this elegant movement that imparts so much character was lost for more than a century and hadn't been seen by any living person.

The web site also features some nice photographs and imagery -- some of it drawn by the automaton itself. For those who really want all the details of the restoration work, Andrew Baron has included his Automaton Restoration Report.

Here is where you can visit Andrew Baron's web site, My Time with the Hugo Automaton.

Baron will also be presenting two different Hugo/automaton related slide shows, at the invitation of the Midwest Watch and Clockmakers Association in Minneapolis on May 4 & 5. For further details on the event visit: http://www.mwca.us/

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