News FeedDay 30 – Antique Automaton Dogs
December 11, 2009 by admin · 2 Comments
These two wonderful antique automata dogs are looking for good homes (and not just for Christmas!).
Dachshund Automaton Dog
His name is “Roman” and he is a life sized papier mache automaton dog. Made in Paris around 1900 by the Roullet & Decamps family. The clockwork mechanism makes him nod his head and open and shut his mouth for about 20 minutes. Roman has a suede skin and a history that is quite tragic. During restoration about 12 airgun pellets were removed from his head. He is happy now and looking forward to a new owner who will look after him.
Barking Bulldog
Made in Paris around 1880 this life size papier mache bulldog has a nodding head and a gruff bark that makes people jump!
Approximately 28 inches long he is life sized and very realistic.
Both dogs are for sale, please e-mail Michael Start of Automatomania if you are interested in purchasing one of these pets.
Michael Start: m.start70@btinternet.com
Day 29 – More Markey Cutouts
December 10, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
We have four more new Peter Markey cutouts for you – they make fantastic last minute stocking fillers or party gifts.
Tiger Paper’s Miniature Golf
Ever want to play golf, but dread all that walkng around? If so, here’s your answer. This unique mini-Miniature Golf Game uses the special Finger Flick®©™* process for teeing. All you need for this golf game is one finger…and some scissors, glue, maybe a pair of tweezers, oh, and a scalpel or an exacto-blade would be nice too. Cut out all the pieces, follow the instructions, and within 2 or 3 hours you’ll be ready to play. (That’s a much shorter time than those long waits at the green.) As an added bonus you’ll have the famed PGA** golfer Tiger Papers to assist you to that beckoning hole in one or three or seven. £3.95
Mechanical Jockey or Cowboy
In this set you can choose to make one or the other so you can either crank to the finish line, or crank ‘em cowboy! £3.95
Mechanical RowerComes complete with a rower who will do the rowing for you, as long as you do the cranking.* £3.95
*Boat recommended for land use only.
For the athlete in your life – the perfect gift.
The set contains three different heads, so you can choose between an American Footballer, a female Jogger or a male Runner. £3.95
Day 28 – Colour-in Xmas Card
December 9, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
Colour-in Xmas Card by Paul Spooner
As the time approaches for sending your Christmas Cards we thought we would provide an alternative to the traditional variety. So, Paul Spooner stayed up very late and drew a CMT Christmas card for you to download for free. The ‘Count Your Blessings Christmas Card’ (or cat havoc) features two recognisable cats creating mayhem as they wander the streets.
Colour-in Xmas Card by Paul Spooner – £0.00
You can colour it in and send it – or send it and your recipient can have all the felt-pen (or photoshop) fun.Here is a slightly different version coloured in.
Have fun!
Day 27 – Kinematic Models Digital Library
December 8, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
Sometimes there is nothing more exciting than looking at different ways making mechanical movement. Look no further than this wonderful website, http://kmoddl.library.cornell.edu/collection-toc.php
The Kinematic Models for Design Digital Library, (KMODDL is a collection of mechanical models and related resources for teaching the principles of kinematics–the geometry of pure motion. The core of KMODDL is the Reuleaux Collection of Mechanisms and Machines, an important collection of 19th-century machine elements held by Cornell’s Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering.
There are plenty of examples to look at and many Simple Machines and Drives, like the Slotted Bell Crank Drive
‘Circular motion of pin in disk, which works inside of the straight, slotted yoke, produces an irregular, vertical motion of rod. Downward motion of rod is slow but has a quick return’.
The ‘Worm and Gear’ mechanism
The worm or continuous screw on the horizontal shaft is the driver. This combination reduces the speed of the driven member and also multiplies its power. The power increases proportionally as the speed decreases. The speed ratio of shafts depends upon the relation of number of threads on the worm (single or multiple) to the number of teeth in the worm wheel or gear. This type of speed reducer is used between shafts at right angles to each other.
We think the mechanism of Paul Spooner’s How to Live No 17: Spaghetti is particularly beautiful. We have a collector’s item from 1999 available for sale:
How to Live No 17: Spaghetti – £3250 (excl. VAT)
Day 26 – Paper Kit Downloads
December 7, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
Cera Cera have been producing fantastic downloadable automata kits for many years. These make brilliant gifts at 3.90USD per download.
You just need to download and print them out onto white card, and you have the perfect gift without leaving the house.
There are 16 different designs to choose from.
Click here http://www.ceracera.com/e-shop.html
Two of our favourites are:-
Wusong and Tiger
Wusong, an ancient legendary chinese Hero, was drunk and faced with a fierce tiger late at night in the mountain. To defend himself, Wusong jumped on top of the tiger and fought with his bare fist and managed to survive the tiger attack..
Happy Tune
This is one of the new Happy Automata series model – Happy Tune. The cute little girl claps her hands together and nods her head while singing happily.
Turn the hand, follow the girl and clap your hands….sing a song (when was the last time you sang?)
If you happy and you clap your hand…… If you happy and you nod your head….. and you will be HAPPY!
Day 25 – Tim Hunkin’s Party Tricks
December 6, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
You now have just over 2 weeks to perfect a few clever tricks to entertain everyone this Christmas Holiday.
Tim Hunkin’s website – http://hunkinsexperiments.com/ – Hunkin’s Experiments is full of wonderful ideas, here are a couple to try out:-
How to Bewitch an Umbrella
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(The book is now sold out, but you may be able to get one second-hand).
Visitors to Cabaret in Covent Garden were often entertained by Tim Hunkin’s Oracle. A lovely lady who answered your questions with a Yes, No or a ?. It was quite terrifying as the stencil disc spun in the air like a circular saw, while you waited with a licked hand ready to receive the answer which was written in sand – poured through the stencil. The sand got everywhere and ruined the coin counting machines!
Day 24 – CMT Calendar
December 5, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
The CMT Calendar
We have created a Calendar for 2010 featuring some of our best-loved automata and images of Cabaret Mechanical Theatre in Covent Garden, London.
It is available to purchase from www.lulu.com, and if you order now you should receive it in time for Christmas.
You can preview the Calendar here
It costs £15.99.
Day 23 – The Revenge of the Beautiful Assistant
December 4, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
Fi Henshall has had great fun with this latest one- off piece. The naked lady has turned Magician’s assistant, and is now getting her own back! The Magician’s eyes literally pop out of his head, and his leg moves in worried anticipation that the trick will go wrong. The elaborate mechanism, including weights and pulleys, is ornately painted, and housed within the decorative tin base.
The Revenge of the Beautiful Assistant – £1950 (excl.VAT)by Fi Henshall
Height 40cm
Width 30cm
Depth 30cm
SOLD
Day 22 – Spooner’s Moving Animals
December 3, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
Spooner’s Moving Animals and The Museum of the Mind
These two cardboard cut out books by Paul Spooner were first published in 1986 and 1992 respectively and have both been out of print for many years.
However they are often available on Amazon, and other secondhand book sites, and make fantastic presents for the would-be automata maker.
‘Spooner’s Moving Animals’ – or ‘The Zoo of Tranquility’
This book contains instructions for seven mechanical models, and if you (or someone else) follow the instructions carefully you can have your own mechanical Zoo of Tranquility including the Lion who can’t spell – he can only ‘Rore’ , the Goat who chews hot water bottles and the Anteater, who fails to catch the ant.
Paul Spooner’s brilliant observations on automata making (and the rough automatist) complete with plenty of superb colour illustrations make this book a real treat.
http://www.amazon.com/Spooners-Moving-Animals-Zoo-Tranquillity/dp/0810923319/
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Spooners-Moving-Animals-Zoo-Tranquillity/dp/0810923319/
‘The Museum of the Mind’
Explore the hidden shallows of your own mind by making this full fourteen-inch high paper head. Driven by it’s own air pump, the top of the nead comes apart and its filling is hoisted into view. Any of four different pneumatically-operated fillings may be plugged in, giving a choice of performance to suit your mood. As well as detailed advice and instructions on how to complete the project, Paul Spooner includes notes of the issues raised by the head and is contents.
http://www.amazon.com/Museum-Mind-Thinking-Machine-Pieces/dp/0810925028
Day 21 – Free CMT Cartoon History
December 2, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
Free CMT Cartoon History
(1979-1984) by Ron Fuller
As you may have read in Simon Tait’s recent mews, at the age of 15 Sue Jackson found herself at Falmouth Art School with Ron Fuller. Sue caught up again with Ron years later when he was making wooden toys, and she was opening a new crafts shop. Ron was involved with Cabaret from the beginning, and we have reproduced the original cartoon which Ron did in 1989 illustrating the early days of Cabaret and the move to Covent Garden. You can click here to download your copy, print it out (and colour it in if you like).
A Cartoon History of CMT – £0.00
Ron (pictured) has always enjoyed drawing and writing and he has a wonderful graphic style, as seen in his piece, ‘See Cabaret and Live’ – now at the American Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore.
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