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PLACES TO SEE AUTOMATA
Don’t forget to check our exhibitions page for details of current CMT exhibitions.
Kinetica
A brand new museum devoted to Kinetic Art in all its forms opened in London at the end of September 2006. There has been a diverse programme of events, seminars and workshops including a CMT exhibition in 2007.
Sharmanka Theatre - Glasgow
The amazing machines of Eduard Bersudsky are definitely worth a visit. Sharmanka are based in Glasgow.
The Modern Automata Museum - Italy
This new museum curated by Guido Accascina has work by many automata makers. Paul Spooner’s Turkish Bath can be seen there, along with work from Keith Newstead and Peter Markey.
Southwold Pier
Many of Tim Hunkin’s coin-ops from CMT (including the Doctor and the Chiropodist) can now be seen at Southwold Pier in Suffolk. Will Jackson’s Crankenstein and Brainwash are also there.
The Eden Project
If you visit the Eden Project in Cornwall make sure to see all the incredible automata exhibits created by Engineered Arts, featuring the work of Will Jackson, Paul Spooner, Rob Higgs et al.
Arima Toys and Automata Museum
Our good friend and automata maker Aquio Nishida has now opened his wonderful exhibition of Toys and Automata in Kobe, Japan
Cox’s Swan, Barnard Castle
The Silver Swan, a very well known piece of automata is housed in the Bowes Musuem in the town of Barnard Castle, near Darlington. You can read more details on the site but unfortunately they seem to have removed the video of the swan working. Here’s a youtube version and a photo on the wikipedia entry.
IT LIVES!
Automatomania
Michael and Maria Start run AutomatomaniA, the UK’s only specialist Automata restoration company. Specializing in the conservative restoration of antique automata and singing birds our restoration work preserves the value and magic of the piece whilst restoring the full function and music.
The Puppetry Home Page
Puppetry, Automata, Animation, Animatronics and much more. A very comprehensive site. Lots of links.
Rolling Ball Machines
Website devoted to the subject of Rolling Ball Sculptures, curious machines, mechanical sculptures and other moving art.
BBH - Building Better Humans
An interesting site with information on the history of automata and other aspects of imitating human life.
Rube Goldberg
Rube Goldberg is the US version of Heath Robinson (don’t know why we haven’t got any Heath Robinson links!). A young boy has built this site dedicated to the cartoonist of crazy mechanical machines. It has links to lots of other sites.
Automata - France
This site has movies of the work. “Lot’omate is an association intended to be used as link between all the amateurs of automats, animated sculptures and funny machines”. (Translated from French).
Automata - France
Museum of old automata. Le Musée de l’Automate de Souillac vous propose une des plus importantes collection d’Europe d’automates et jouets mécaniques anciens.
David M. Macmillan - USA
Lots of good links to clock and automata information.
Rony Gelman - USA
One of the few good sites on old automata.
Craig W. Reynolds - USA
The other world of automata which mainly resides within computers. Simulations of life and all that stuff. Connected but totally different, or similar but unconnected perhaps. Anyway, this is a good place to start if you’re interested.
Robotics Internet Resources Page
Extensive links to everything robotic. Mostly very technical but some hobbyist information as well.
Robot Books
As well as covering robot books, this site also has robot news and links. They have a Mechanics section which lists some hard to find books on mechanisms.
Android World
An extensive site with lots of links to anthropomorphic robots, animatronics, walking machines and related things.
MAKERS
Carlos Zapata - UK
Colombian artist and automata maker Carlos Zapata has a colourful website featuring lots of his work and some animations. Carlos has work in our collection and you can read our page about him, here and see his work moving in our virtual exhibition.
Steve Stackpole - USA
Along with the mechanics, Steve uses wit, whimsicality, and maybe a little sarcasm, to comment on human foibles, and the frequent insanity of life.
Jim Bond - UK
Jim Bond is a mechanical sculptor who works mainly in metal, and scrap materials. He has recently taken part in Channel 4’s Scrapheap Challenge.
Tim Prentice - USA
“His materials include: steel, aluminium, lexan and feathers … all in service of a simple principle: To reveal through the moving sculptural form, the invisible movements of the air, and the magical relationship between object and environment.”
Jean Tinguely - Swiss
The grandaddy of kinetic sculpture is finally represented on the net because they built a museum for his work.
Arthur Ganson - USA
Arthur Ganson is making some of the most interesting kinetic art anywhere in the world. Visit this site and buy his video.
Martin Smith - UK
We’ve been selling Martin’s work for a few years. Now he has his own web site where you can see animations of some of his pieces.
Will Jackson - UK
Will makes coin-operated machines for us and other mechanical devices as well as clocks with Tim Hunkin, life-size handbag dummies with Paul Spooner and lots more. A nice site which includes pictures and explanations of the mechanisms.
Steve Gerberich - USA
Gerb-O-Matic - the quirky world of Steve Gerberich, who turns everyday objects into wonderfully bizarre mechanical creations.
Marc Horowitz - USA
See pieces like the Blunt-horn Ox. You can also buy work in kit form.
Faulty Optic - UK
Automata makers usually prefer to let motors or other people to do the work but this original puppet theatre company are world renowned for their haunting visual theatre, automated sets, strange animated figures, cronked inventions and macabre humour.
Chomick & Meder - USA
Art Dolls and Automata. Nice site with some animations of their mechanical dolls.
Steve Birkes - USA
Pictures of carved and painted wooden automata with simple mechanisms.
David C. Roy - USA
Kinetic Sculpture. Mostly abstract wooden wall hangings. Nicely laid-out site with animations.
Roggeri Joffe Toymakers
Not all mechanical but including some whirligigs and balancing toys. Animations of toys and drawings.
Duane Flatmo - USA
Maker of big kinetic sculpture racing machines.
Bernward Frank - Germany
Wind and Water Sculptures. Some virtual (computer animations) and some real.
Julie S. Porter - USA
A maker of clocks and automata. You can see some of her work and also her translations of Le monde des automates by Alfred Chapuis and Edward Gelis, including a description of the Jaquet-Droz musician.
Survival Research Labs - USA
We tend to get upset if our machines thrash themselves to death but these boys relish in it. Connected but totally different from most of the above.
CARDBOARD
Flying Pig
The card cut-outs of Rob Ives. Free downloads, making tips, animations and lots more.
Card Modelling FAQ
The Card Modeling FAQ is devoted to the construction of models (static and dynamic) in paper and cardstock. Very extensive FAQ with lots of links and useful tips on construction.
Another Card Modelling Site
Lots of links to card modelling sites. Most are not mechanical but there are lots which have free downloads.
EDUCATION
Design & Technology
Barstable school. Follow the link to the Design and Technology department. Lots of links.
Brock Engineering
Virtual Mechanisms - Java animations of mechanisms working.
South London Science & Technology Centre
This site includes plenty of well-priced resources for teachers - including a very simple cam-driven crocodile in kit form for primary schools.
