Case making is no easy feat! Being a silver-smith is one of the nobler pursuits (in my opinion). John Norgate, my mentor and silver-smith extraordinaire, is one of the most spectacular people I have ever met (but I am probably biased). From the way he shuffles about to the way he always says "Ta!" as [...]
The Automata Cabinet – Blog
The Automaton Ship
My favorite restoration object came to me in a small metal tobacco tin as a broken mechanism with the promise of great reward. It’s small – about 3 cm across by 4 cm high and 2 cm deep. It’s known as the fairy ship – a miniature ship automaton that plays “God Save the King”. [...]
The Gentleman Smoker- The Mechanism
The mechanism of the Smoker is rather simple. The train is driven by a single spring driven barrel. Attached to the barrel is a series of cams that control the motions of the Smoker - the movement of the head, the opening and closing of the mouth, and the lifting of the hands. The barrel [...]
The Gentleman Smoker – Undressed
In order to access the mechanism responsible for the motions of the smoking gentleman, his clothing had to be carefully removed and his papier-mache body opened. In preparation of a treatment proposal and condition report I assessed each component of the clothing, papier-mâché, head, and hands as I undressed the smoker. The papier-mâché head was in [...]
The Gentleman Smoker – An Introduction
While in my last term at West Dean I restored a Vichy Huntsman Smoking Automaton. This is a clockwork figure that when operated smokes real cigarettes! As you can imagine, this is quite the party trick. I like to think of old men sitting in their fancy oak parlors with a glass of scotch and [...]