Day 22 – Spooner’s Moving Animals

December 3, 2009 by admin

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