The Mechanical Blog

Avid automata collector and author of ‘Stormbreaker’ Anthony Horowitz is the delighted owner of Matt Smith’s 2004 piece, The Price of Chickens.

‘I bought this because it reminded me of two characters out of Foyle’s War (Horowitz’s TV series) - ‘they would certainly have plenty to talk about if they had a chicken in 1945! The mechanism is so ingenious and yet the two women are so recognizable…almost prosaic. I think it’s a great piece’.

The lady in blue (Maud) is talking to Flo (the other woman), Flo then pulls a chicken out of her basket (the chicken raises about 6cm and is hidden by the basket) then tells Maud the price, Maud stops talking and leans forward to take a closer look, at the same time she raises her hand to the side of her face (as elderly English ladies are prone to do, have a look around any supermarket!) the machine then resets.

The wonderful first edition of ‘The Matchstick Nibbler’ from the Fourteen Balls Toy Company are now finished.

This is a favourite piece from our collection made by Paul Spooner piece in 1982. It’s full title is ‘How to Make a Model Goat from Odds and Ends No: 15′ - Nibbling Matchsticks to produce curved horns.

The man nibbles away at his tasty snack of matches (sometimes known as ‘lucifers’) as he eats two devil-like horns appear from the top of his head by means of the bellows action. When the cranking stops the horns slowly recede back into his head.
Everyone who has been very patiently waiting for theirs will receive them this week by Express Courier.

Although these were available as special commission only, we actually have a spare one still available - so click here if you are interested in buying it.