Automata as jewelry - pendant automaton by Kimberly Nogueira

Here is a small mechanical piece of jewelry by metalsmith Kim Nogueira. The piece, a pendant to be exact, recently won first place in a design contest held by Metal Clay Artist Magazine. This year's annual design competition was called "Metal Clay Plus...". The magazine was looking for work that incorporated innovative combinations of metal clay and non-metal materials.

Nogueira's piece, entitled Lost Point of Origin, is made from fine silver, sterling and bronze clays, mica, vitreous glass enamel, faper, thread, tourmaline, a found object, pearl, etched and pierced copper sheet, fine silver wire, sterling silver sheet, wire and tubing. That's a lot of different materials!

From the artist:

When I made this piece, I had no idea that others would be interested in what I thought was a beautiful but very odd box. I was just excited to have an excuse to push myself to use whatever materials my heart desired to tell a story.

You can see more jewelry by Kim Nogueira on her web site.

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Cast iron William Tell antique mechanical bank shoots apple off of a boy's head with a penny

Back in July of 2011, I did a post about a William Tell cast iron mechanical bank. At the time, all I could offer you were a picture and description. I've seen them in person at antique stores and shows, but because they seem to be worth a fair amount, I've never asked to see it work. There is currently another one for sale on eBay and this one comes with a video, which you see above.

The bank itself is an antique cast iron William Tell Mechanical Bank dating late 1800's. This model was patented in 1896 by Russell Frisbie and manufactured for 7 years by J&E Stevens Co.

From the eBay description:

To operate, the user cocks the launcher and places a coin in front of it. This "loading" of the mechanism also causes William Tell's head to lower into a position that makes it appear as if he is taking aim at the apple. Next, the boy’s right arm is pulled down bringing the apple to the top of his head. When ready to fire, the operator presses William Tell's right foot, the gun fires, and the coin shoots forward, knocking the apple from his son’s head as the boy simultaneously raises his right arm. The coin is deposited inside the castle tower, rings a bell, and William Tell's head falls backwards as if in relief.

Of the cast iron mechanical banks, this model is one of the most sought after variations. The original paint is in good shape, and this bank works great as you can see. Best of all, the seller warrants is not a reproduction because ownership can be traced back through her family. Beware of any "original" mechanical bank you find that seems like it is a deal too good to be true; I've spotted a lot of reproductions being presented as antiques. Here's a book about still and mechanical banks which features the William Tell bank on the cover.

I recommend the eBay listing itself. It is informative, contains 14 full of color photographs and is good reading. Here is where you can see the listing for this antique cast iron William Tell mechanical bank.

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Wooden robot automata will soon rule the world!

Artist Alan Westby has made a series of wood automata depicting robots. They are beautifully made, with finger-jointed cherry boxes, laser-cut wood gears, and carefully assembled geometric shapes. The entire series is cleanly construction. At the same time, it is playful as well. Westby's wooden robots are engaged in domestic scenes, space scenes, flying airplanes, and various other shenanigans.

See more wooden robot automata by Alan Westby on his web site.

And just to prove my point that wooden robots are taking over the world, here are a bunch that you can buy -- but never truly control -- on amazon.

P.S. If you've never seen it, here's my own contribution to the wooden robot genre from 2007.

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Mechanical dog bank gobbles up coins in convincing fashion!

I posted last year about Barkly the Banker mechanical dog piggy bank which is shown in the video above. This bank is now on sale at ThinkGeek.com under the name of Bailey The Mechanical Doggie Bank. The only difference I can detect is the name of the dog, the color of the base, and the $4 dollar savings.

Here's a still shot of the mechanical dog bank:

Here's the product page with all the details for Bailey The Mechanical Doggie Bank which is currently on sale for $12.99.

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How to make wooden joints for puppets, automata, and posable figures

My latest column on automata-making is now available on the Cabaret Mechanical Theatre web site. This installment provides step-by-step instructions and plan drawings for making a wooden leg joint. The joint is a little more complicated than some, but it has a few big advantages:

From the article introduction:

To depict a realistic human motion, it is helpful if the figure's joints only bend the way real humans bend. Joints that only move in the correct way give you more options for providing the necessary input motion also. This, in turn, creates a greater range of resulting motions from which to choose.

In the article, you will learn how to create a wooden joint that mimics the motion of a human knee. The joint is suitable for elbows and a few other types of joints as well.

Here's where you can read Dug’s Automata Tips, Techniques and Tricks No. 8 on Creating Wooden Joints for Automata Figures.

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Plans for cross-country skier automaton available for Kindle

Ken Schweim is the creator of the mechanical contraption called Convolution and the CPR automaton and plans. He's been keeping busy and has produced a new automaton of a figure cross-country skiing. Plans for the project are available for purchase in Amazon Kindle format.

From the project description:

This is a wood automaton project. The motion is provided by a hand crank which drives a set of gears. The gears have a 2:1 gear reduction to provide a more realistic speed of action. The gears also have a right angle drive to allow the hand crank to be placed on the side of the project and not block the view of the mechanical section. The gears drive a two journal automotive type of crankshaft.

The action consists of two skis in motion, both arms and both legs. The arms are activated by attaching each ski pole to the side of the skis. The legs are activated by attachment to the skis. The skis are activated by hangers attached at the bottom which are then connected to the crankshaft journals.

Here is a sample page from the book showing an example of the very nicely done plan drawings:

If you would like to build this project, complete construction plans are available on Amazon.Com in Kindle book format under the title of Wood Automata Project.

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"The Last Prussian Conjurer " automaton magician by Thomas Kuntz

Sculptor and automaton artist, Thomas Kuntz, has just finished a new piece called The Last Prussian Conjurer. Like many of his pieces, this one performs a magic trick. Keep your eye on the ball!

From the artist's description:

Inspired in part by WW1 anti-war and allied propaganda art. Additional inspiration came from the Diableries/Totentanz traditions with a healthy dose of Dada, Hans Richter and Monty Python!

Kuntz is both a masterful sculptor and accomplished machinist. This means that everything in the piece was made from scratch -- the figure, brass cams, levers and all. Even the spike on the Prussian's helmet was made from brass turned on an antique precision watchmaker's lathe. A part of the cam making process is shown in the video, as is his fantastic original clay sculpture.

Propaganda art can be so exaggerated and direct in its message. I can see why it might inspire an automaton. To see what I mean, check out these books and posters showing WWI propaganda art.

See more automata by Thomas Kuntz on his web site.

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Steampunk ring with realistic human eye that opens

Now here's some jewelry that makes a statement. I think that statement is something like "MY FINGER-EYE IS WATCHING YOU!" This unique ring is made of pewter in three different shades. Of course, the standout element isn't a jewel, but rather a lifelike artificial human eye. I'm not sure if there is any automatic component to it, but the metallic lid does somehow slide open to reveal the eye to the shock and amusement of all.

The product description is cryptic in that special Steampunk sort of way:

A surviving, stand-alone animated integrant of the advanced, life-sized android from the famous workshops of Ezekiel Rosenstein; C 1865. 3-tone pewter ring with opening eye-lid exposing a realistic, taxidermal eye.

I think what is being suggested is that the ring holds the eye of an automaton build by some person named Ezekiel Rosenstein around 1865. From what I gather, Ezekiel Empire Rosenstein was an engineer who invented the Galvanic Matter Transpositor. The work of this forgotten genius has recently been "rediscovered". OK. Good fiction. Good fun!

Here's where you can get the steampunk automaton eye ring on eBay. The seller is in the UK, so be sure to double-check the shipping charges if you are in the United States.

The ring is also available on Amazon as the Steampunk Automaton's Eye of Ezekiel Rosenstein Gothic Ring.

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Attack of the Killer Tomato - an automaton by Kieth Newstead

I posted earlier this week about a Keith Newstead automaton that was in progress featuring a man-eating tomato. The piece is called Attack of the Killer Tomato and will serve as a donations box for Occombe Farm, Devon, UK.

Here it is in full color. The painting turned out fantastic! The plant has an interesting reflective green texture and the tomato really shines. I also love the pattern of the man's flannel shirt. Actually, everything looks good including the man's hair, the watering can, the flower pot. My favorite thing would be the plant's spiked yellow teeth.

If you are interested in making your own, here are some books on carving figures in wood and on how to construct marionettes.

See more automata by Keith Newstead on his web site.

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So, how do sewing machines work anyway? Here's your answer!

Have you ever wondered how a sewing machine works? I know I have. I mean...how on earth does the machine bring a thread through one side of the fabric and out the other, locking it in the process? And how does it do it so fast? When was the sewing machine invented and was it by some guy named "Singer"?

This great mystery will be solved once you watch this video, an episode from the classic TV program, The Secret Life of Machines, hosted by Tim Hunkin. Hunkin is a cartoonist, engineer and -- best of all -- automaton-maker. He's made dozens of large, interactive, mechanical sculptures, simulators, and rides to amaze and amuse. His deep understanding of machines, ability to create cartoons, and playful approach make him one of the best teachers around. In the video, Hunkin uses a 6 foot long sewing needle and four people to slowly sew two large sheets of foam together in the same manner as a sewing machine. You also will learn some interesting history (via cartoons) along the way.

Here's a snippet of a drawing by Tim Hunkin related to sewing machines from his book titled The Rudiments of Wisdom: An A-Z of Random, Peculiar and Fascinating Facts...

You can see the complete drawing here.

Here is where you can see more of The Secret Life of Machines with Tim Hunkin.

[ Thanks Ron! ]

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Giant killer tomato plant attacks gardener!

You read that right! A giant killer tomato plant attacks a helpless gardener...in this wood automaton. The video is of an automaton in progress by artist Keith Newstead. A man diligently waters his garden with a watering can. The tomato plant has grown so well that it has a really big appetite! The jointed figure of the man moves in lovely organic way. I love the huge cam visible in the front of the piece too. Though I expect it will be painted, I love the uniform natural finish of the wood at this stage also.

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Display of rare and unusual Black Forest Clocks in Pasadena, CA

Justin J. Miller, author and expert on Black Forest clocks will be putting on a display of rare and unusual Black Forest clocks this weekend in Pasadena, California. The display will be part of the National Watch and Clock Collectors Association (NAWCC) 2012 National Convention. The convention will be held at the Pasadena convention center from June 13 to 16, 2012. While the convention is primarily for members of the NAWCC, it is open to the public on Saturday, June 16th.

The display will include at least 12 Black Forest clocks, many of which have automata and mechanical music components. The following list gives a brief overview of what you can expect to see:.

1. Large carved 8-horn trumpeter clock by Emilain Wehrle
2. Large cuckoo and quail clock by Samuel Kammerer
3. Early 15 pipe, 6 tune flute clock c. 1820
4. Early Black Forest Glockenschläger Automaton c. 1825
5. Automaton with drinking king c. 1870
6. Automaton with Napoleon eating rats c. 1870
7. Rooster clock by Emilian Wehrle c. 1890
8. Cuckoo clock with automated sentry by PH&S c. 1900
9. Singing bird clock by Emilian Wehrle c. 1875
10. Early wooden-wheel, paper shield, cuckoo clock Cc. 1780
11. Table cuckoo clock with eye automation J.B. Beha c. 1860
12 Large table cuckoo with oil painting by Samuel Kammerer c. 1870

This will be a wonderful opportunity to see and hear a variety of clocks from the Black Forest. You should also be aware of Miller's new book, Rare and Unusual Black Forest Clocks, which will be available in mid July of 2012.

Here's where you can get information on the NAWCC convention.

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A boy and his toy train featured in this wood automaton from Fourteen Balls Toy Co.

We've just had news from autoamta-maker Matt Smith regarding the latest new edition from the Fourteen Balls Toy Co. which is shown in the video above. A boy watches and directs as a tiny model train spins in circles around him. Periodically, the train whistle blows, powered by a bellows in the automaton's compact base. The mechanical boy has his own mechanical toy. It's a delightful piece!

See detailed photographs of this wood automaton on the Fourteen Balls Toy Co. web site.

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Vintage video profile of toy maker Ron Fuller in his workshop

Here's another wonderful video from the archives over at Cabaret Mechanical Theatre. This short video features artist and toy maker, Ron Fuller, in his workshop. In the video we get to see his Woodland Animal mechanical piece The Circus, The Sheepshearer, a sand toy and many other creations from his charming workshop in Suffolk, England.

A kid at heart, it's great to see this grown man making mechanical toys. This piece makes a nice companion to the video profile of Ron Fuller from earlier this year.

If you like Ron Fuller's work and want to make some of the same models and automata, you will want to get his book The Art and Craft of Wooden Toys. It is very clear and well-illustrated. It's one of the few books with complete plans for a wood automaton -- his famous Lion Tamer automaton.

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My Little Pony cartoon fan art done as wood automaton

What happens when you love reading AND the TV show My Little Pony? Well, if you have imagination, a lot of skill, and over 100 hours of time this automaton featuring "Twilight Sparkle" could be the result. This is my kind of fan art! From the YouTube description:

This is the second piece of my pony automaton series featuring characters from the show My Little Pony. Like the previous one, the characters and base (box) are hand-carved out of Philippine mahogany. The gears and books are made from Nara hardwood with the exception of the book page (that actually turns!) which is made from paper mache. All figures are painted in enamel and topped off with a flat lacquer clear coat.

It's an incongruous mix of natural wood and unnaturally colored animals that I find fascinating. It's beautifully made and the wooden gear train is incredible!

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Walking cardboard animal sculpture kits seeking Kickstarter support!

Kinetic Creatures are walking cardboard animal sculptures which use the clever mechanical linkage, popularized in Theo Jansen's Strandbeest. By turning the wire handle the creatures come alive with a simple mechanical motion.

They also offer gear kits which allows the animals to be powered by a small electric motor and laser-cut wooden gears.

The Creatures -- Elly the elephant (above), Rory the rhino, and Geno the giraffe -- are made up of cardboard pieces that you assemble using tabs-and-slot construction.

The creators have been seeking support on Kickstarter in order to cast the patterns onto die-cut-tools at a local cardboard manufacturing facility. Using a die-press, the time-per-kit will come way down. That means they will be able to share the Kinetic Creatures with hundreds or thousands of makers!

They have already reached their Kickstarter goal, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't pledge in order to get one of these creatures for your own! Here is the link to the Kinetic Creatures Kickstarter page.

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Huge kinetic sculpture animates a comical cartoon scene in plywood

Check out this kinetic relief sculpture by Jakob Bue titled Alchemechany. Bicycle cranks, sprockets and chain allow a person to the side of sculpture to set the scene in motion. A long serpentine chain behind the scene transfers motions to the inner parts of the wall-sized sculpture composed main of wood. The scene depicts cartoon man on the left frantically running and grasping for an object held at the end of a serpent's tongue on the opposite side. I love the cartoon style, the scale, the unabashed use of plywood as a surface material, and the choice of limiting the colors to black and white. I often say that contemporary automata are like single-panel cartoons set in motion; this piece is a perfect example.

See more sculptures by Jakob Blu on his web site.

[ Thanks Christoph! ]

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Automata Blog turns 6! Thank you and...onward!

The Automata / Automaton Blog turned 6 years old last Sunday!

Thanks to all the readers for tuning in. A special thanks to those of you who send great stuff my way to share with everyone else; you make my job quite a bit easier and everyone's day brighter. Thanks also to those of you who who support the site by using the Amazon link in the upper right corner and elsewhere. Those pennies, nickels, and dimes help keep this project going! If you purchase woodworking tools or materials, consider using the Woodcraft links found at the bottom of the page and elsewhere. Even using the eBay links help me out in a small way!

The coming year will see some changes. Don't worry -- nothing drastic and all good. I plan to share a bit more of my own creative process with you. You'll be seeing more of my bench, hands, tools, and creations. I may also occasionally experiment with some different types of posts that mix things up in an interesting and informative way. Finally, you'll see some cosmetic enhancements that I am very excited about.

All the best and thanks again,

-Dug North

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French automaton of singing taxidermy bird in brass cage

Phalibois is a famous name in the history of automata. Apparently the father and son team made some singing bird automata to compliment their more typical automata which depicted monkeys, tight-rope walkers, and conjurers.

From the eBay description:

Here is a very rare to find "Jean Phalibois" (French made) bird automaton. An amazing work of J. Phalibois (most likely would date it around 1890 or even earlier). This is a very unique larger-size bird cage (brass wire cage on a molded plaster and wood decorative base). It is a rare and nice high-end cage. This bird is authentic/original taxidermy bird with amazing condition. The whole original taxidermy bird was installed on a brass bird body with inside mechanism (A very rare bird! Please, we welcome a bird expert contact us, to give us information about what kind of bird is this.) Real natural feathers (iridescence blue/green wing feathers, iridescence head, chest and neck feathers and some iridescence tail feathers. They change colors depending on the light. Pictures do not do justice to these beautiful feathers. Looks beautiful and very attractive. The bird, flooring, cage, bellows and the Mechanical parts are all original and in excellent condition. Bellows and the clock-work automation work perfectly like new. Overall condition is undamaged and truly excellent, with the slight patina of age. This is a true antique, not a reproduction, and one that is sure to appreciate in value over time.

Here is where you can see many more pictures and two additional videos of this French automaton of singing taxidermy bird in brass cage.

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Sphero robotic sphere is controlled by smartphone

The Sphero is robotic remote-controlled ball that can be directed with an iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, or Android device. Controlling Sphero from your mobile device is accomplished in a variety of ways including tilting and gesturing on your device.

The Sphero comes with apps for you device that allow you to play with it in different ways. They call this "Mixed-Reality Game Play" in which real objects and virtual elements are both used for a game. The possibilities seem endless. I love the idea of setting up obstacle courses for it. You could improvise a most unusual indoor miniature golf course with little more than the things already in your living room. There is also the intriguing possibility of fooling your friends and annoying your cat. The Sphero can also be programmed to perform a recorded sequence of actions so that it can then run semi-autonomously.

Here is where you can read a whole lot more about the Sphero Robotic Ball.

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Stylish sand timer sculpture from Laikingland and Maarten Baas

Shown here is a piece by the clever folks at Laikingland titled Just About Now. Developed in collaboration with Maarten Baas, this wall-mounted kinetic sculpture is actually a sand timer that indicates the passing of time with the sound of a gong.

According to Maarten Baas: I've always had an interest in ways to indicate time. In spite of the fact that time is very abstract and very relative, in the western world it's normal to indicate time very precisely. Apart from things like train schedules or the duration of sporting games, the exact time is often irrelevant. A coffee break, a meditation, a nap, a business meeting, they could take a few minutes longer or shorter than an exact amount of time. This is why I wanted to create a timer that bangs a gong, more or less after the amount of time you indicated.

Details of the piece
Year: 2012
Materials: Oak, glass, ceramic, sand, brass
Dimensions: Height 320 mm Width 435 mm Depth 185mm
Power: Sand
Color: Natural
Availability: September 2012

For information on price and availability please contact the Laikingland team at enquiries@laikingland.co.uk

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Four beautiful singing bird boxes featuring tiny automaton birds

Four antique singing bird boxes like the one shown in the video will be included in today's auction hosted by Skinner.

Here are images of the actual singing bird boxes going to auction:

Contained within these small, elegant music boxes is a complex mechanism and bellows which provide mechanical movement to the bird, wings, tail and beak while pumping air through a tiny slide-whistle, which provides the sound. Most of these are German made. They are estimated to be worth between $400 to $1,200 each.

Here are the auction details
Date: June 2, 2012, 10am
Preview Times:
   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.

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Leonardo's 'Last Supper' painting brought to life as an automaton going to auction

Shown here is a rare automaton by the famous maker Phalibois representing Davinci's painting The Last Supper. It is a large scene-style automaton measuring about four feet in length. It may be the only one of its kind in the world. This is the second extraordinary piece in the Skinner auction that takes place tomorrow, June 2nd, 2012.

From the Skinner auction catalog:

The Lord’s Supper Automaton, attributed to Henry Phalibois, c.1890, the automaton based on Da Vinci’s The Lord’s Supper, features Jesus and the twelve Apostles in period clothing moving as if in serious conversation at a long table set with pewter dishes and goblets, complex gearing and drives all powered by two 110 and 220 volt 60-cycle motors, lg. 69, ht. 30, dp. 22 in.

Here is DaVinci's famous painting of the scene:

Here is Phalibois' three dimensional interpretation of the painting:

This automaton was featured in a traveling exhibition that toured Europe, Australia and New Zealand in the early 1920s, under the name of The London Mechanical and Electrical exhibition. Details of this exhibition are featured in Rod Cornelius, Mechanical Music, July/August 2011, pp. 32-35.

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

Here is the Skinner online catalog listing for The Lord's Supper Automaton, attributed to Henry Phalibois.

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