Three Blind Mice automaton by Keith Newstead

Automaton artist Keith Newstead has done it again. Check out this amazing automaton featuring sounds that integrate with the motions of the characters. The use of sound and the second scene played out in silhouette in the background makes for a very rich and complete automaton.

Here is where you can learn more about Three Blind Mice automaton by Keith Newstead.

[ Thanks John!]

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Hansel & Gretel: a laser-cut shadow theatre book

While it's not kinetic or mechanical this is another cool project from Joe Freedman who brought us the Weird Gears box set, the PrimoGraf drawing machine, and The Two Odd Volumes on Magic & Automata. This latest venture is a laser cut book that can also serve as a shadow theatre. He's raising funds for the project via Kickstarter and only has a few days left.

It's a cool project in its own right. It would make an excellent gift, I think. Also, I believe that supporting any of Joe Freedman's projects is likely to lead to more mechanical goodness down the road! Here is the Kickstarter page for the Hansel & Gretel shadow theatre book.

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The Shadow Automata of Emmanuel Cottier

Dedicated reader of The Automata / Automaton Blog and kinetic sculpture expert, Falk Keuten, has offered some additional information on The Musee National De Monaco.

He tells me that there they had on display a mechanical shadow theater by the artist Emmanuel Cottier -- Swiss clockmaker who worked in Carouge, near Geneva.

The exhibit documented in photographs and posted online is from an earlier exhibition at the museum of Carouge near Geneva. The mechanisms are fascinating. The text is in French. For non-French speakers, simply follow the link in the lower right labeled "Pour voir la suite..."

Enjoy the Shadow Automata of Emmanuel Cottier. [Thanks Falk!]

You can learn more about this collection at The Musee National De Monaco from the book: The Mechanical Dolls of Monte Carlo

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