The Wounded Child - Wall-mounted automaton by Paul Nitsche

Check out his beautifully executed wall mounted automaton by Paul Nitsche. titled The Wounded Child. The end of the video features some tantalizing still photos of the creation process and internal mechanism.

Here is where you can see more work by Paul Nitsche.

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Book: Automatic Pleasures: - The History of the Coin Machine

I was just alerted to the fact that there is a new edition of this very interesting book on the history of coin-operated machines!

From the description:

The book established many new facts and destroyed many of the myths that had arisen in the gaming industry during the 20th century. Originally an ancient Greek invention the advent of the coin machine in the 19th century heralded a Victorian revolution which sought to establish a fully automated society. The visionaries of the past are the direct forbears of the all pervasive computer industries -- without the gaming and coin machine industries it is doubtful as to whether today's computer dominated age would have ever happened.

There are some really wonderful images and diagrams in this book. Be sure to use the "Look Inside" feature at Amazon to see what I mean!

Here is where you can buy Automatic Pleasures: - The History of the Coin Machine

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Two Odd Volumes on Magic & Automata available as a free download

Our friend Joe Freedman of LEAFpdx has made the book Two Odd Volumes on Magic & Automata available for download. The book covers some of my favorite subjects including the magician Jean Eugène Robert-Houdin, history, magic, automata, and mechanical toys.

'The Sette of Odd Volumes' was a group of book collectors in Victorian era London. They published transcripts of the lectures they presented to each other. Two Odd Volumes on Magic & Automata compiles two of these lectures into a single book. An affordable printed version of the book has been available for a while, but if you prefer to have an electronic copy (PDF) you are now in luck!

In the first section of the book, William Manning offers his recollections of the famous magician, Robert-Houdin. In the second section, Conrad William Cooke provides a history of automata to that point. It's a fascinating book and well-worth reading.

Though the digital version of the book is available for free, please consider using the Paypal donate button on his page. A lot of time and effort went into creating this book and I'd like to see Joe Freedman produce more of his excellent mechanical creations. Show him some love if you can! Here is where you can download the book Two Odd Volumes on Magic & Automata.

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Upgrade light switches with these clever mechanical add-ons

The father and son team of Lance and L. J. Nybye have come up with a wonderful line of mechanical add-ons for common light-switch covers. The mechanisms are typically cut with a laser from high-quality plywood and finished off with brass hardware. Additional decorations are engraved/burned into the parts with the laser.

From the online shop:

These mechanical light switches transform an ordinary appliance into the perfect flourish for your secret library, steampunk chalet—or wherever your imagination lives!

The mechanical switch covers install easily over a standard switch plate using the existing screws. In addition to the excellent lever-based switch shown in the video, they have a couple of other lovely designs.

Here is their one based on planetary gears...

And another design based on the rack and pinion mechanism...

Here is where you can get these mechanical switch-plate covers.

[ Thanks Jan and Julia! ]

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The Victorian Model Workshop animated displays

The Victorian Model Workshop designs and builds original mechanical figures, automata, and animated displays for private collectors and commercial customers. Take a look at the video to see some of their marvelous creations.

Here's more information about The Victorian Model Workshop.

[ Thanks Karin! ]

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Virtual Kinetics and the Art of the Image exhibit

The video above shows a three-dimensional version of the famous Eadweard Muybridge photographic study of a horse. The piece is by multimedia artist and educator David Gordon. Inspired by the work of Muybridge, Gordon creates animated sculpture, video animation, photocollage and assemblage, many of which use mechanical means to create and demonstrate the illusion of animated motion.

From the exhibit description:

Much of the work presented in Virtual Kinetics, and the Art of the Image represents a peculiar decades-long collaboration between two gentlemen from different centuries, multimedia artist and educator Dave Gordon and Victorian inventor and photographer Eadweard Muybridge. Gordon continues the artistic work of "the father of film" by exploiting cutting edge technologies such as micro controllers and Hall-effect sensors to make Muybridge's motion studies interactive in a three dimensional environment. Inspired by Muybridge's images or wholly original, Gordon presents work in this show which lays bare the technology that all digital media uses to display images and mimic continuous motion.

The exhibit Virtual Kinetics, and the Art of the Image is on display at the Charles River Museum of Industry and Innovation, 154 Moody Street, Waltham, MA. The show is on display now and will run through August 31, 2011.

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William Tell cast iron mechanical bank from 1896

It is amazing to see the various clever ways in which the designers figured out entertaining ways to get a penny into the bank. This bank features a classic scene in which the penny is shot from a crossbow over the head of William Tell.

From the ebay description of the mechanical bank:

The Bank features the figure of William Tell pointing a rifle shaped weapon at an apple on the head of a little boy who stands in front of a castle tower. To operate, the odd shaped piece on the top of the gun barrel is pressed back until it snaps into position. This "loading" of the mechanism also causes the head of William Tell to lower into a position that makes it appear he is taking aim at the apple. A coin is placed on top of the barrel just in front of the odd shaped piece. The boy’s right arm is pulled down bringing the apple to the top of his head. When the right foot of William Tell is pressed down he fires the gun and the coin shoots forward knocking the apple from the boy’s head as he raises his right arm. The coin is deposited inside the castle tower ringing a bell and the head of William Tell falls backwards. The mechanism here is in excellent working condition.

The William Tell Bank was patented in 1896 by Russell Frisbie and manufactured by J & E. Stevens for a several years.

Here is where you can see additional pictures and read more about this William Tell cast iron mechanical bank from 1896.

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Giant human automaton from 1900...or is it?

Here's an interesting link to a newspaper article from the New York Herald, Sept. 9th, 1900 about a large human automaton. Or...at least what is being presented as one!

Invented by Louis Philip Perew of Tonawand, New York, the automaton in the article is reported to be 7 feet 5 inches tall and capable of walking, running, moving its eyes, avoiding obstacles, and talking.

For a very complete picture of just what was really going on, I suggest you to click on over to this great article at Cyberneticzoo.com about Perew's Electric Man.

As the 1910 patent drawings show, the 'automaton' was actually pushed by the engine-powered carriage behind it. A hidden shaft supplied the power for the figure's walking-motion mechanism.

Cleverly concealed controls within the carriage allowed the passenger to direct the figure and its various motions. While it may not have been exactly what was reported in 1900 the newspaper article, Perew's mechanical man was still a work of considerable genius -- both for the engineering and the showmanship.

Designed to be a advertising device, the mechanical man had some measure of success. It was copied later on in the form of a similar carriage-pulling figure known as 'Big Chris'. The large version also eventually inspired Perew to apply for a patent for a toy version, which was granted in 1927. In the toy version, the carriage is located in front and pulls the figure along.

[ Thanks Don! ]

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Pedaling man wood automaton by Andrew Boyce

Check out this really nicely made automaton by artist and craftsman Andrew Boyce. I love the figure.

From the automaton description page:

The Automaton featured here is made from European Lime wood and MDF. He sits on a box platform made from a 17th century English Oak floorboard. This photograph shows the figure in an unfinished state, and when completed will have a corroded iron finish. He is crank handle driven and pedals and moves the gear stick back and forth.

See all kinds of excellent creations by Andrew Boyce on his web site.

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Book: Two Odd Volumes on Magic & Automata

I am pleased to inform you of a great new find entitled Two Odd Volumes on Magic & Automata. This book covers most of my favorite subjects: the magician Jean Eugène Robert-Houdin, history, magic, automata and mechanical toys!

'The Sette of Odd Volumes' was a group of book collectors in Victorian era London. They published transcripts of the after dinner lectures that they presented to each other. Two Odd Volumes on Magic & Automata presents two of these lectures in a single volume.

About the first book on magic and Robert-Houdin:

William Manning was a club member who gave an after dinner talk on his recollections of the great magician Robert-Houdin. When Manning was a young boy he met the great magician and befriended Robert-Houdin's sons. His 'recollections' about Robert-Houdin were later published as a small book. Reading it today, over a hundred years after the speech was originally given, one is still struck by how forward thinking Robert-Houdin was and how down to earth. He developed many famous magic acts that are still performed today. Originally trained as a clockmaker, Robert-Houdin built all his own automata and magic props.

About the second book on automata:

Manning's talk on Robert-Houdin prompted another member, Conrad William Cooke, to undertake a brief survey on the history of automata down through the ages. That talk resulted in the second wonderful book included here.

You can read more about the volume, see some of the illustrations, preview sample pages, and order your own copy on this site dedicated to the book Two Odd Volumes on Magic & Automata.

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The Waiting Hand by Nick Rayburn

Nick Rayburn is an artist who works with an assortment of materials including wood, marble and brass to silver, coral and shimmering beetles. He has started to make automata in a Victorian/steampunk style. Shown here is his latest creation, The Waiting Hand, which is a limited edition of 20.

If you would like more information or would like to discuss acquiring a piece you can send an email to: nickrayburn at sky dot com.

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