Automaton Collection

Automaton at the Schoolboys Own Exhibition, 1929
A physiological robot at the Schoolboys Own Exhibition in London, 1929. Designed to show how organs of the body work, here three young visitors take great interest in its insides. Date: 1929

Humanoid robot, artwork
Humanoid robot, computer artwork. Computer artwork of a humanoid robot that resembles a human female. The coloured lights represent the electrical energy

Chinese Puppet Theatre
A street puppet show. The automaton figures are operated by a set of strings

Maskelyne & Cooks automaton, Psycho
Maskelyne & Cooks thought-reading, whist playing automaton, Psycho, as demonstrated at the Egyptian Hall in Piccadilly, London

Schoolgirl with performing robot C016 / 8377
Robot and schoolgirl. An 11-year old girl programming a robot to perform. This robot has a basic repertoire of sounds and movement

Hancock introduced the 22-seat steam powered wagon 'Automaton'
5616727 Hancock introduced the 22-seat steam powered wagon 'Automaton'; (add.info.: Walter Hancock: the Automaton)

Sciences: Automatons. Automatic fountain, which made water flow through a system of communicating vases
NWI4948833 Sciences: Automatons. Automatic fountain, which made water flow through a system of communicating vases, designed by Heron of Alexandria or Heron The Elder

Chinese wrestler and automaton and a tom-tom player, Qing Dynasty. Street performer wrestling with a human-size
FLO4590466 Chinese wrestler and automaton and a tom-tom player, Qing Dynasty. Street performer wrestling with a human-size pasteboard puppet

Clock of the company ANKER (insurance), designed by Franz von Matsch (1861-1942), 1911-1914, Secessionsstil - Vienna
JEB4941574 Clock of the company ANKER (insurance), designed by Franz von Matsch (1861-1942), 1911-1914, Secessionsstil - Vienna, Austria; (add.info.: Clock of the company ANKER (insurance)

Hancock introduced the 22-seat steam powered wagon 'Automaton'
5616726 Hancock introduced the 22-seat steam powered wagon 'Automaton'; (add.info.: Walter Hancock: the Automaton)

Steam! Steam!! Steam!!!, c1835 (lithograph on paper)
8836232 Steam! Steam!! Steam!!!, c1835 (lithograph on paper); 33 x 25 cm; Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust, Telford, Shropshire, UK; (add.info.: sheet music cover for 'STEAM! STEAM!! STEAM!!)

Wolfgang von Kempelen
5310091 Wolfgang von Kempelen; (add.info.: Engraving depicting Wolfgang von Kempelen (1734-1804) a Hungarian author and inventor

Italy, Venetie, Venice: St. Mark's Square, view of St. Mark's Basilica and Clock Tower, 1895
LUX4771681 Italy, Venetie, Venice: St. Mark's Square, view of St. Mark's Basilica and Clock Tower, 1895 -; (add.info.: Italy, Venetie, Venice: St. Mark's Square, view of St)

Portrait of Jacques Vaucanson (1709-1782) French mechanic and engineer, inventor of the automaton
ELD4946338 Portrait of Jacques Vaucanson (1709-1782) French mechanic and engineer, inventor of the automaton. 19th century (chromolithograph); Private Collection; Photo © The Holbarn Archive.

Singing-bird box, c. 1840 (enamel, diamonds & gold)
3025213 Singing-bird box, c.1840 (enamel, diamonds & gold) by Swiss School, (19th Century); 9x3 cm; Private Collection; (add.info.: The brass movement with chain fusee, stacked cams, fly regulator)

Singing-bird box, c. 1840 (gold, diamonds & enamel)
3025208 Singing-bird box, c.1840 (gold, diamonds & enamel) by Bruguier, Charles (1788-1862); 9.1x5.7x3.1 cm; Private Collection; (add.info.: ruguier)

Singing-bird box, c. 1880 (enamel & silver-gilt)
3025202 Singing-bird box, c.1880 (enamel & silver-gilt) by Swiss School, (19th Century); 9.5x6.1x3.5 cm; Private Collection; (add.info.: Brass movement with chain fusee, stacked cams)

The Scribe, an automaton by Pierre Jaquet-Droz (1721-90), 1770
XTD75400 The Scribe, an automaton by Pierre Jaquet-Droz (1721-90), 1770 by Jaquet-Droz, Pierre (1721-1790); Musee d'Art et d'Histoire, Neuchatel

The Rothschild Faberge Egg, 1902 (gold, silver, enamel, seed pearls & precious stones)
1108733 The Rothschild Faberge Egg, 1902 (gold, silver, enamel, seed pearls & precious stones) by Faberge, Carl (1846-1920); 27x11.5 cm; Private Collection; (add.info)

John Joseph Merlin, 1781 (oil on canvas)
7146418 John Joseph Merlin, 1781 (oil on canvas) by Gainsborough, Thomas (1727-88); Kenwood House, London, UK; (add.info.: John Joseph Merlin, 1781, Thomas Gainsborough, oil on canvas, Kenwood house)

musical automatons - Mechanical concert invented by R. Richard dedicated to Louis Phelypeaux
XEE4156396 musical automatons - Mechanical concert invented by R. Richard dedicated to Louis Phelypeaux, Comte de Saint-Florentin (1705-1777) - Engraving on copper, 1769

Ouistreham, Normandy, 1939 (tempera on gesso prepared panel)
657369 Ouistreham, Normandy, 1939 (tempera on gesso prepared panel) by Wadsworth, Edward Alexander (1889-1949); 38x53 cm; Private Collection; (add.info.: Ouistreham, Normandy)

Mechanical Elephant with Festival Barge and Korean Musicians, c. 1765. Attributed to Komatsuya Hyakki

Large wind-up automaton of Asahina Saburo, c. 1847 / 48. Creator: Sadahide Utagawa
Large wind-up automaton of Asahina Saburo, c. 1847/48

Automaton Clock in the Shape of a Lion, Germany, c. 1630. Creator: Unknown
Automaton Clock in the Shape of a Lion, Germany, c. 1630

Man Pumping Water, c. 1937. Creator: Beverly Chichester
Man Pumping Water, c. 1937

Mandolin player, automaton, 18th century
LRI4673445 Mandolin player, automaton, 18th century by French School, (18th century); CNAM, Conservatoire National des Arts et Metiers

Musicians automatons: "The traversiere flute player"
GIA4778749 Musicians automatons: " The traversiere flute player" (1737) and the " Tambourine player" (1738). They are made by Jacques de Vaucanson (1709-1782), French engineer

Fountain with fake birds singing. This is a project by Agostino Ramelli
GIA4742705 Fountain with fake birds singing. This is a project by Agostino Ramelli, according to " Diverse and Artificiosis Machine". Milan 1600

Automaton designed by Heron of Alexandria (the Elder) (1st century)
GIA4742681 Automaton designed by Heron of Alexandria (the Elder) (1st century). He throws the arrow on the dragon. From Heron Spiritalia, 16th century

Detail of a George III green and gilt Japanned musical automaton table clock depicting
491787 Detail of a George III green and gilt Japanned musical automaton table clock depicting the Lord Mayors Parade, c.1780 (brass) (see also 491785-6) by Wagstaff or Wagstaffe

Singing-bird box, c. 1840 (gold, diamonds & enamel)
3025210 Singing-bird box, c.1840 (gold, diamonds & enamel) by Bruguier, Charles (1788-1862); 9.1x5.7x3.1 cm; Private Collection; (add.info.: ruguier)

Singing-bird box, c. 1840 (gold, diamonds & enamel)
3025207 Singing-bird box, c.1840 (gold, diamonds & enamel) by Bruguier, Charles (1788-1862); 9.1x5.7x3.1 cm; Private Collection; (add.info.: ruguier)

Automaton in the form of a chariot pushed by a Chinese attendant and set with a clock
696654 Automaton in the form of a chariot pushed by a Chinese attendant and set with a clock, illustration from A Description of the Works of Art forming the Collection of Alfred de Rothschild by

"Mademoiselle Claire", the robot nurse of the Bretonneau Hospital in Paris (colour litho)
2779851 " Mademoiselle Claire", the robot nurse of the Bretonneau Hospital in Paris (colour litho) by French School

Plate VI, from Uber den Schachspieler des Herrn von Kempelen und dessen
HMB306173 Plate VI, from Uber den Schachspieler des Herrn von Kempelen und dessen Nachbildung, Leipzig und Dresden: Joh. Gottl

A worker in a workshop making an automaton (or robot). Cover from "
XEE4189883 A worker in a workshop making an automaton (or robot). Cover from " Le petit journal illustrious" from 19/05/1935 Collection privee by Anonymous; Private Collection; (add.info)

Automatic library. Based on a project by Agostino Ramelli in "
GIA4742720 Automatic library. Based on a project by Agostino Ramelli in " Diverse and Artificiose Machin" and Milan 1600

Representation of a water clepsydra (clock) designed by Turkish engineer Ibn al-Rajjaj
LRI4661261 Representation of a water clepsydra (clock) designed by Turkish engineer Ibn al-Rajjaj al-Jazari (Al Rajjaj Al Jazari) (1136-1206) and a calendar

George III green and gilt Japanned musical automaton table clock depicting the Lord
491785 George III green and gilt Japanned musical automaton table clock depicting the Lord Mayors Parade, c.1780 (wood, brass & lacquer) (see also 491786-7) by Wagstaff or Wagstaffe

Collection of singing-bird boxes and snuff boxes (enamel & silver-gilt)
3025205 Collection of singing-bird boxes and snuff boxes (enamel & silver-gilt) by European School; Private Collection; (add.info.: top: A SWISS ENAMELLED AND JEWELLED GOLD SNUFF-BOX Geneva)

Striking and Automaton Lion Clock, c. 1640 (gilt-brass & ebony)
automata, timekeeping, metal, animals, clocks, ornate, lion, striking, clock, horology, machines, animal, lions, machine, mechanical, automatons, automaton, rampant, 3587681

The Man Who Works The Automaton
The man who works The Mechanical Turk, a fake Automaton Chess Player, designed by Baron Wolfgang von Kempelen. 1769

Automatons, illustration of the frontispiece from Le Mecanisme du fluteur
XIR279481 Automatons, illustration of the frontispiece from Le Mecanisme du fluteur automate by Jacques de Vaucanson, engraved by Francois Vivares (1709-80) 1738 (engraving) (b/w photo) by Gravelot

Jacques de Vaucanson as a child, illustration from Galerie des Enfants Celebres
CHT279480 Jacques de Vaucanson as a child, illustration from Galerie des Enfants Celebres, c.1850 (litho) (b/w photo) by French School, (19th century); Musee de la Ville de Paris, Musee Carnavalet

Oil lamps, including hydro-pneumatic and automaton lamps
Oil lamps, including the hydro-pneumatic lamp designed by R. W. King, Bartons oil lamp, and John Porters automaton lamp. Copperplate engraving by Wilson Lowry after a drawing by J

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Step into the fascinating world of automaton, where art and technology intertwine to create mesmerizing masterpieces. At the Schoolboys Own Exhibition in 1929, an extraordinary humanoid robot stole the show, captivating audiences with its lifelike movements and intricate craftsmanship. One cannot help but be enchanted by the poster showcasing Ransomes Lawnmowers alongside a remarkable automaton. This juxtaposition highlights how these mechanical wonders have permeated various aspects of our lives, from mundane tasks to artistic endeavors. Delve deeper into the realm of automatons and you will discover Maskelyne & Cooks' creation known as "Psycho. " This eerie automaton evokes both awe and fear as it performs seemingly impossible feats that blur the line between reality and illusion. In another scene captured beautifully on film, a schoolgirl stands beside a performing robot C016 / 8377. The sheer joy on her face reflects the wonderment that they can inspire in people of all ages. Traveling across continents, we encounter Chinese Puppet Theatre where intricately designed puppets come to life through ingenious mechanisms. These ancient traditions showcase humanity's longstanding fascination with creating animated beings. The allure of automatons extends beyond mere movement; they also produce enchanting melodies. Singing-bird boxes adorned with precious materials like enamel, diamonds, gold or silver-gilt transport us back in time to an era when music was brought forth by delicate clockwork mechanisms. Even renowned artist John Joseph Merlin immortalized automatons in his oil painting from 1781. His work captures not only their physical beauty but also their ability to captivate imaginations throughout history. Musical automatons take center stage once again as we witness Mechanical concert invented by R. Richard dedicated to Louis Phelypeaux, Comte de Saint-Florentin depicted in an engraving from 1769. This testament to human ingenuity showcases how even centuries ago people sought ways to create harmonious melodies through mechanical means.