A crow which pecks your finger as you turn the handle. This new piece by Simon Venus is a homage to an automaton by Paul Spooner – ‘A Carrion Crow with its eye on someone’s finger’ – 2011. Mounted on a shoe brush from Deptford Market. Wood, metal, paint. Height: 26cm SOLD.
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Answering Machine (2012) by Paul Spooner
A new one-off piece from Paul Spooner. It’s a machine for undertaking thankless tasks; useful for refusing loans and favours of all kinds, invitations to dull parties, requests to take part in surveys, to look after neighbours pets or children, to rescue victims of crime, to take part in the democratic process, to become a […]
Shipwreck
A tremendous new peepshow piece from South American artist Pablo Lavezzari features a perilous journey by boat for only one observer. Turn on the light, open the doors at the front and start cranking the handle… Witness the scene of a shipwreck, on this recently abandoned vessel. The sounds that mimic the roar of the […]
A Big Donor – Part III by Paul Spooner
And there’s a box to contain the works. It’s rough old wood from inside a wardrobe – looks OK until it gets a coat of gloss paint, then the roughness really shows up. I’m too impatient to embark on fancy paint jobs and I gave up trying to get the ultimate piano-like finish. You get […]
Slot Man (El Tragamonedas) by Pablo Lavezzari
Pablo Lavezzari has created a great money box, operated by a lever. Place any coin on Slot Man’s hand, pull down the handle, and the coin is eaten decisively! Wood, Copper and Resin. 28cm Wide x 28cm Deep x 49 cm High SOLD £595 (excl. VAT)
Winter Automata Fair
Winter Automata Fair – 28th November 2012 This event was an evening for collectors, enthusiasts and the curious… There will be a unique opportunity to buy archive prints, posters, automata and kits as well as a several push-button exhibits. Open 5pm to 8pm (or by appointment from 11 a.m.). Automata expert Michael Start from the […]
Bird’s Tree by Carlos Zapata
This is a spectacular new one-off piece from Carlos Zapata, seven colourful little birds peck and turn on the branches of the tree. A wonderful centrepiece for any automata collection. Height 61 cm (24 inches) Wood, metal, paint One Only – Sold
Making Pulleys and Belts for Automata – Dug’s Tips 9
Making Pulleys and Belts for Automata Pulleys and belts are incredibly useful to the automaton maker. They can transfer power from one axle to another and change the speed, direction or plane of rotation! Check out Cabaret Mechanical Movement for more information about pulleys. In this article, we will use a simple approach to make […]
Fish (2012) by Carlos Zapata
Limited edition of 3 beautiful swimming fish. Glorious colour and movement. Paint, metal, wood. Height – 19 cm 3 Only – Sold More automata available in our shop.
A Big Donor – Part II by Paul Spooner
Arms made and a coat of red paint applied. This colour is as near as I can get to Indian Red, a pleasant earthy colour, not too garish like cadmium reds. Indian Yellow is a different matter; it used to be made by boiling down the urine of elephants that had been fed exclusively on […]