Automaton clock depicts the goddess Diana on her chariot

Take a look at this antique automaton clock which depicts the goddess Diana on her chariot. The piece -- made around 1610 in Augsburg, Germany -- was recently recovered from storage. The automaton is made from gilt bronze and silver with an enameled dial. The case is ebony and gilt bronze and the movement itself is iron and brass. What a find!

From the video description:

Probably drawing inspiration from contemporary prints, the clock portrays the Roman goddess of the hunt, Diana, on a chariot pulled by two leopards. Precious clocks like this were collaborative enterprises among goldsmiths, sculptors, clockmakers, engravers, and even cabinetmakers. They were important status symbols in European courts, representative of the most cutting-edge technology of their time, and they were often used as diplomatic gifts. This clock—which has been recently restored and is now on view in the European art galleries—is also a table carriage, a lavish form of tabletop entertainment during banquets. This short video unveils the highly sophisticated inner mechanism of the clock, delicate parts that are otherwise hidden from view and are remarkably still in tact.

In the video above, we get a sampling of the movements and sounds the clock makes when wound and set running, including the Diana figure shooting her bow. Rare and valuable devices such as this were often used as entertainment by the elites of time. This one may well have been incorporated into a game played at the dinning table.

On loan from Yale University Art Gallery, the automaton clock is part of The Luxury of Time: European Clocks and Watches exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Via a post on Hyperallergic

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Photos and drawings of life-size Trumpeter automaton from 1810

Check out this fascinating trumpet-playing automaton that is featured on Cyberneticzoo.com. This life size clockwork-driven trumpeter was build by a German man named Freidrich Kaufmann in 1810.

Check out more photos, drawings and history in the full blog article located here.

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Tour of a paper automaton shop in Bremin, Germany

Here's a fun little tour of a paper automaton shop in Bremin, Germany. Many of the kits were made by the father of the young man giving the demonstrations.

If you are interested in making your own, check out some of these paper automaton kits and books. In the same order, you can get your tools such as a hobby knife, self-healing cutting mat, a good pair of scissors, and some white glue.

[ Thanks Karin! ]

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Diana and Stag Automaton at Boston's Museum of Fine Arts is actually a princely drinking game

Falk Keuten of the Spiel und Kunst mit Mechanik blog wrote to let us know about an automaton in my own backyard. Given that he's in Germany, it's fair to say that he is a very well-informed man!

A new exhibit at Boston's Museum of Fine Arts features an automaton of Diana, goddess of the hunt, riding a stag. The piece is in the museum's new Kunstkammer gallery, which now displays the type of thing that wealthy individuals in Europe in the 16th and 17th centuries might have collected.

The piece itself is made from cast and chased silver -- some parts gilded, some painted with lacquer. The automaton was designed as a form drinking game at courtly banquets. It moves about the table and stops arbitrarily. If it stops near you, it's your turn to drink.

Here's the full article in The Boston Globe on the ‘Diana and Stag Automaton’ at Boston's Museum of Fine Arts.

Here's the MFA's page about the new Kunstkammer Gallery.

Many pieces such as this are document in the wonderful book titled Clockwork Universe: German Clocks and Automata, 1550-1650

From the book description:

This book depicts the golden age of German clockmaking. The volume offers the most comprehensive examination of the German Renaissance clock ever undertaken. From the founding of the clockmaker's guilds to the eventual shifting of the craft's supremacy from German-speaking central Europe to Holland and England after the Thirty Year's War. Includes contributions from 14 scholars, over 200 illustrations and technical drawings.

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German-made hand vise used by jewelers, watchmakers, and clockmakers

The hand vise shown here is sure to be a useful addition to any Maker's toolbox. Similar tools have been used by jewelers, watchmakers and clockmakers for ages.

Based on the design of a tool from the 1900s, this little hand vise is helpful for holding all manner of small objects. Because there is a hole which passes through the handle, wire can be threaded all the way through and then worked above the serrated jaws which hold it securely.

The hand vise is tightened with a wing nut. Made in Germany of high grade tool steel, it measures 4-1/2 inches in length with a 5/8 inch jaw width.

Here is where you can get this German-made hand vise.

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Clockwork Universe: The amazing German clocks and automata from 1550 to 1650

The book entitled Clockwork Universe: German Clocks and Automata, 1550-1650, is a comprehensive history of the golden age of German clock-making. The book explores the complex mechanisms, the exquisite artistry, and the changing world-view that contributed to their creation.

The guiding thesis of the book is a familiar but compelling one:

The mechanical clock, at least in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, with its rational design and regular running, demonstrated an orderliness lacking in almost every aspect of life at that time. The clock came to offer an explanation for the mysterious workings of the cosmos: living creatures were in fact automata, and the universe itself was an enormous clockwork.

The book features beautiful black & white and color photographs, 200 illustrations and technical drawings. These visuals supplement the detailed descriptions of clocks, automata and mechanical celestial globes from this period. There is even a short section on the famous monk automaton. This is a wonderful reference book covering some astounding mechanical creations.

Here is where you can get a copy of Clockwork Universe: German Clocks and Automata, 1550-1650.

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Free plans for a charming cat and mouse autoamton by Christopher Blasius

Check out this really nicely made video showing step-by-step how to make a cat and mouse automaton. The narration is in German, but the video is so clear it hardly seems to matter. (Incidentally, if you turn on the YouTube CC function, English subtitles are shown.) This charming automaton was created by Christopher Blasius.

You can download free plans for the cat and mouse automaton from his web site.

[ Thanks Charles! ]

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The world's biggest cuckoo clock in Triberg, Germany

The World Biggest Cuckoo Clock is located in its own house in Triberg, Germany. The construction of the clock was based on 100 year old cuckoo clock, but at a scale of 60 to 1! The cuckoo bird itself measures nearly 14 feet long, and weights an incredible 330 pounds.

Here is a short presentation about the clock and its construction presented by an animatronic clock-seller:

Here is a video of the cuckoo emerging. Clearly the bird isn't entirely traditional and possesses its own animatronic components. As grand as this is, I would have preferred a simple, traditional cuckoo bird.

Here is where you can learn more about the world's biggest cuckoo clock.

[ Thanks Falk! ]

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Flying geometric jellyfish moves through the air by turning inside out

This helium-filled geometric kinetic sculpture is known as a Schatz cube and uses a process called inversion to propel itself through the air. The object is named for Paul Schatz (1898 - 1979), a German-born sculptor, inventor and mathematician.

This fine working model was created by the folks at Festo who dubbed it SmartInversion.

From the Festo web site:

SmartInversion is a helium-filled flying object that moves through the air by turning inside-out. This constant, rhythmically pulsating movement is known as inversion and gives the flight model its name. With the intelligent combination of extreme lightweight construction, electric drive units and control and regulation technology, inversion kinematics can be indefinitely maintained to produce motion through the air.

Like some kind of angular, contortionist jellyfish, its slow motion flight through through the air is mesmerizing. Researchers are searching for industrial applications for the inversion technique and held a contest that ended in December of 2012.

Here is Festo's page about SmartInversion – airborne geometrical band with inversion drive.

[ Thanks Christoph! ]

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Antique tin toy depicts a boy feeding a dinosaur-sized chicken

Here's an antique tin toy currently for sale on eBay. The toy depicts a boy feeding a chicken -- a very big chicken. The actual toy is 7" long and 4" high. If we were to scale the boy up to anything like that of a real human, the chicken would be the size of a Velociraptor (actually, more like its larger cousin, Deinonychus).

Just to show I've done my (frivolous) homework, the image below should prove the point. Bear in mind that the human in the image is supposed to be a full-grown male.

Despite the dubious scale, it's still a wonderful toy. Made in prior to the WWI in Japan, the toy was meant to compete with the famous German toy manufacturer, Lehmann. As you can see in the video, when set running, the chicken pecks at the bird pan as if feeding. According to the description, the toy's mechanism utilizes a verge escapement. It certainly appears to be using an escapement to measure out the pace of the action, but the picture of the bottom of the toy doesn't quite show the mechanism in question.

The toy is in beautiful shape for its age. Tin toys took a lot of abuse. Just imagine how many times this has been used in the last 100 years! Here is where you can get all the details or bid on this antique Japanese tin toy of a boy feeding a chicken.

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Hand-cranked mechanical bank featuring a snail that grabs the coin

Check out this lovely mechanical wooden coin bank by artist Christopher Blasius. When you turn the handle a snail emerges to grab the coin and pull it into its shell. The reverse side is covered in Plexiglass so the mechanism can be seen. Love those gears! Plans are available and the latter portion of this video shows you just what you'd be getting into if you decide to make one for yourself.

Here is where you can buy the plans for the mechanical snail coin bank.

[ Via the Spiel und Kunst mit Mechanik blog ]

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Japanese Autoamta - New book about 18th century Japanese automatic mechanical devices

There is a wonderful new book out titled Japanese Automata - Karkuri Zui: An Eighteenth Century Japanese Manual of Automatic Mechanical Devices. This book by Kazuo Murakami translates into English the unique book Karakuri Zui, originally published in 1796. The book starts with an introduction which explains the history of karakuri. What follows is a complete translation of Karakuri Zui which explained the mechanisms and methods of construction for several Japanese clocks and mechanical toys of the Edo period in Japan (1603-1867).

Murakami-San wrote to tell me about the Tumbling Acrobot automaton shown in the video above, which I've posted about in the past. He explains that the tumbling doll seems to have already been invented by the beginning of 18th century. Like many of the fine automata of the past, the Tumbling Acrobat was a toy for wealthy people. There is some evidence that the the doll was brought to Europe by the Dutch, where it was then imitated, westernized, improved, and manufactured by German toy makers to look more like this.

The great magician and automaton-maker, Robert-Houdin, bought a tumbling doll from a French toy maker. This story is recounted in the book Two Odd Volumes on Magic and Automata.

All of this information and more is covered in detail in Kazuo Murakami's new book, Japanese Automata. This soft cover book has a total of 257 pages with 104 original diagrams and drawings of the mechanical devices made during the Edo period. It has been published in a limited run of 500 copies.

Here is where you can see sample pages, reviews, and order the book Japanese Autoamta.

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Black Forest flute clock circa 1770 features blackbird automaton

Justin Miller of Blackforestclocks.org sent this video along. This musical clock was made in the Black Forest region around 1770. The piece features a blackbird automaton. The movement plays 5 different birdsong-themed songs at the top of the hour, while the blackbird figure moves from left to right and opens and closes its beak as if singing the tune.

For more information on this type of clock, you will want to check out Miller's outstanding book Rare and Unusual Black Forest Clocks. Among the most comprehensive volumes ever produced on the subject, this large format book features over 700 images showcasing the finest examples of clocks made in the Black Forest region.

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Working replica of Mercedes from 1900 is powered by a Stirling engine

It's wonderful to see so many great bbooks and plans on Sterling Engines. Likewise there is a huge range of working Sterling Engine models around these days. Some of the nicest I've come across are those sold by Hammacher Schlemmer. Take for example the beautiful external combustion kraftwagen model I posted about last year. I don't know who exactly is producing these beautiful metal models for them, but they state that they are made in Germany.

This fully operational model is machine-tooled from solid brass, stainless steel, and aluminum. Power is supplied by the amazing Stirling Engine which uses the expansion and compression of air to turn the engine. An alcohol burner in the rear fuels the engine. These engines are remarkably efficient: full burner of ethyl alcohol allows the engine to operate for up to 15 minutes. Not keen on the idea of running an engine indoors. No worries: the exhaust is just steam and heat!

Here is where you can get the Mercedes model powered by a Stirling engine

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The Wunderland - wolrd's largest model railway in Hamburg, Germany

Several people have been kind enough to send me a link to this video of a HUGE model railway. Though millions have already seen it, I think it's appropriate to post it again here in the name of completeness. So, just in case you somehow missed it, prepare to be amazed by The Wunderland.

From the video description:

The Miniatur Wunderland Hamburg, the largest model railway in the world, and one of the most successful tourist attractions in Germany. On the 1,300 square meter layout, more than a thousand trains, aircraft, cars and ships move about. A wonder of the world in miniature.

The Miniatur Wunderland includes an incredible level of detail. There are entire sections of the model that depict an airport, Switzerland, Scandinavia, America, Germany, Austria, and various regions in the Alps. Plans to add sections depicting Italy and France are underway.

Believe it or not, this is a model and NOT a photograph of an actual airport. Incredible.

You can find a lot more information at http://www.miniatur-wunderland.com. Readers of The Automata Blog might also be interested in the English section of their forum that deals with various aspects of model building and The Wunderland itself.

[ Thanks to Charles, Jarva, and others! ]

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The inner workings of a mechanical bird coin bank

Falk Keuten of the Spiel und Kunst mit Mechanik blog posted this video of a German tin toy bank made by toymaker Lorenz Bolz. A coin is placed in front of the opening in the birdhouse. When the hand-crank is turned, the bird emerges from the hole with its beak open. In a quick movement, the bird closes its beak on the coin, and flips back into the house. The telltale sound of a coin hitting tin lets us know that the bird has dropped the coin inside.

The second half of the video reveals all the mechanical details that allow this to happen. In many similar mechanical toys such as the toothpick dispensing birds and cigarette dispensing birds, the beak is not articulated, but has a tapered opening. The pressure of upper and lower portions of the beak hold item by friction. It's up to the user to remove the item because the beak itself cannot release it. This mechanical bird bank is different and more complex than that.

It's a truly ingenious little machine. I am certain that if I were asked to design the mechanism, it would be far more complex and cumbersome, and no more reliable.

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Restored Black Forest clock with shaving monkey automaton

Here is an early Black Forest clock recently restored by Kevin Wright. Information on piece the is nonexistent -- or at the very least, extremely hard to find. To make the restoration even more of a challenge, the clock's automaton was missing many pieces.

When Wright received the clock the monkey was missing his right arm and hand, his left foot, mirror, razor. He was also missing his eyes. The clock didn't have the typical worm governor, so the speed could not be controlled. Wright knew he had only about 9 seconds of motion to work with and decided to have the monkey shave his chin,look in a mirror, and scream/smile. The cam shaft, cams, second wheel and all of his linkages all had to be reverse-engineered and fabricated. Brilliant work!

For more on unusual Black Forest Clocks like this shaving monkey, be sure to check out and order a copy of Justin Miller's new book, Rare and Unusual Black Forest Clocks. The book contains over 700 images showcasing the finest examples of clocks made in the region. It also explains the various mechanisms and guides collectors trying to identify individual clocks.

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Justin Miller on the rare and unusual clocks of the Black Forest

The common cuckoo clock is just one form of animate clock that was produced in the Black Forest region of Germany. They are cute, charming, and relatively simple. Author and collector, Justin Miller, has had a fascination with the more obscure forms of Black Forest clocks for years. He a new book on the subject. The magazine Collector's Weekly recently interviewed Miller on the subject in an article titled "Not Your Grandma’s Cuckoo: Decapitating, Rat-Eating Clocks of the Black Forest".

From the article's introduction:

As the first truly comprehensive English-language guide to early Black Forest horology, Miller’s new book, "Rare and Unusual Black Forest Clocks," features particularly interesting examples of clocks with automata, or moving mechanical features. These range from timepieces used as mini-jukeboxes to play different tunes to clocks with animated figures who dance, eat, or even murder each other.

The interview covers where cuckoo clocks originated and its association with the Black Forest region. Miller also answers questions about singing bird clocks and other musical clock variations. He touches on how these clocks work and explains a bit about the original market for these clocks, some famous makers, and favorites from his collection of 80 Black Forest clocks.

You can see more of Justin’s personal collection on his Show & Tell page as well as his website, blackforestclocks.org.

You should also order a copy of Miller's new book, Rare and Unusual Black Forest Clocks, which will be available in mid July of 2012.

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Book on rare and unusual German Black Forest clocks

The Black Forest Region of Germany produced an amazing assortment of inventive and finely crafted clocks. While there certainly are books on the subject, most are in German. Rare and Unusual Black Forest Clocks by Justin J. Miller is the definitive guide for English-speaking clock enthusiasts. The book features over 700 images that showcase clocks, movements, components, catalogs, and literature related to Black Forest clocks. It also includes detailed biographies of notable clockmakers and clock-making firms.

From the book description:

The text provides much needed information on preeminent clockmakers Johann Baptist Beha and Emilian Wehrle, which place this among the best comprehensive single volumes ever produced in any language. This work also explains the various mechanisms and guides collectors and others trying to identify individual clocks by type, production era, and maker. The engaging text also vividly brings to life both the rich, romantic history of families and entire communities of craftsmen cooperating to create these unique timepieces that have drawn increasing numbers enthusiasts to the excitement of Black Forest horology.

Here is where you can get more info or pre-order the book Rare and Unusual Black Forest Clocks.

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Wooden mechanical flapping bird mobiles

It's all too brief, but check out the lovely motion of this wooden mechanical bird. The bird is set in motion by pulling a string below (not shown). The YouTube description says it was made by Hans Happ (1899-1992), a German painter and creator of mechanical art toys.

Here is a beautifully made flying bird mobile made by Kenji Hayami. The sculpture depicts a white crane with a red crest in flight. The piece uses nice woods, an adjustable counter-balance system, and clever magnetic hinges. I wish I could see it in motion. I bet it is beautiful.

Here is the page with more info on the white crane wooden bird mobile.

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