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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Whistling boy automaton made by Phalibois

Here is a video showing the performance of a whistling boy automaton made by the famous Phalibois. This is a large Phalibois whistler -- approximately 3 feet tall with the base. As the boy whistles, he tilts his head from side to side and opens and closes his eyes slightly. He also moves his arm up and down a little.

[ Thanks Kevin! ]

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Mechanical Living Picture Of The Great Houdini

I posted the other day about a hand-cranked wheel cutting engine made by Kevin Wright. If that piece demonstrated his technical side, this one demonstrates his creative side. This mechanical picture depicts the magician Houdini in the classic manner --- that is, with a devilish imp whispering the arcane secrets of magic into his ear. All the great magicians (nearly) had their portraits done in this manner. This one is uniquely expressive. Houdin's eyes and head move, making it appear as if he is considering what his is hearing and perhaps making sure that nobody else overhears.

See more mechanical creations by Kevin Wright on his web site.

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Scratch-built hand-cranked gear cutting machine

This is a working wheel cutting engine based on historical designs. "Wheel" is the term that clock-makers use for larger gears, while "pinion" is the term used for smaller ones. This gorgeous machine was built by the talented Kevin Wright. Wright designed the engine to cut the gears for a mechanism he wanted to build. Basically, he built a machine to build another machine!

A metal blank, brass in this case, is mounted to the top of the spindle in the center of the engine. The large circular disc below is an indexing plate. A spring-actuated lever drops into notches in the wheel allowing wheels with different numbers of teeth to be cut. The cutter is mounted to a hinged assembly above the blank. When you turn the crank, the cutter spins. The spinning cutter is then lowered into the blank to cut a notch in the gear's edge. The index wheel is used to rotate the blank a specified amount, then the process is repeated. By this method, a complete gear may be cut.

While Wright has modern tools to cut gears and pinions, he wanted to experience what the clock-makers of old went through. They built wonderful precision mechanisms with tools very similar to the one he made. He says it is very satisfying cut gears without the use of electricity. I imagine so!

See more mechanical marvels by Kevin Wright on his web site.

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Automaton Recreation of Robert-Houdin's Acrobat

Here is a very ambitious recreation of Robert-Houdin's famous acrobat automaton named Antonio Diavolo. This version was created by automata expert Kevin Wright as a tribute to Robert-Houdin's original Acrobat.

Wright's automaton, entitled Dante the Daring, performs the same routine as Robert-Houdin's automaton from 1849. The original was approximately 34 inches tall, while this one is 40 inches. He is fully functional with the ability to nod, turn his head left to right, and perform somersaults and handstands.

Robert-Houdin was trained as a watchmaker and is widely regarded as the father of modern stage magic. To recreate one of his automata is an astonishing feat of mechanical detective work and craftsmanship.

Visit Kevin Wright's site called The Clockwork Universe to see this and other amazing projects.