We are very sad to announce the death yesterday, November 2nd, of Peter Markey, aged 86. Peter was the first automata artist to start making work for us in 1979 and he continued to make automata for almost 50 years. His deceptively simple style and insistence on using the most basic materials belied his ingenuity […]
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A Curious Turn
The Crafts Council’s new touring exhibition, A Curious Turn: Moving Mechanical Sculpture will celebrate 40 years of British automata and a preview of the exhibition will open 15 September at Habitat’s King’s Road Platform Gallery as part of London Design Festival before the full exhibition with 40 automata embarks on a two-year nationwide tour.
Summer by Paul Spooner
We are delighted to offer this seasonal one-off piece from Paul Spooner. Size (mm) 250H x 200W x 80W Price £1680 Sold
New Exhibitions in China, Germany & UK
We currently have exhibitions in the UK, Germany and China (July 2016). We are delighted to announce our first exhibition in China, at the Guang Dong Science Centre in Guangzhou, China. Forty of our CMT automata are included in the brand new Mechanical Moving Toys Exhibition, alongside works from Sharmanka Kinetic Theatre, and inspiring workshops […]
Marvellous Mechanica
Join Hole & Corner at London Craft Week as they host an imaginative makers’ space worthy of Heath Robinson in the chapel at dynamic not-for-profit members club The House of St Barnabas in Soho. Over the course of the week, artists Martin Smith, Nik Ramage and Jim Bond will build a site-specific kinetic installation with […]
Sad News
We are sorry to announce that Sue Jackson, the founder of Cabaret Mechanical Theatre has died suddenly. She was an inspiration to many and will be sorely missed. We plan to create a memorial page when we’ve had time to gather our thoughts.
Heart Beater – Now in Bubblegum Pink
Just in time for Valentines day. The Heart Beater by Martin Smith is now available in Bubblegum Pink. This is a small version of the Heart Machine, an alarming little machine to demand the attention of the one you love. Available in vibrant red, bubblegum pink or shiny brass. Martin Smith makes kinetic devices that […]
Two dogs that meet on a regular basis
A new edition by Paul Spooner As well as a useful tool in the teaching of mathematics, this tableau is an example of an environmentally responsible work of art in that some of the materials have been recycled twice. The oak frame was once a bedside table belonging to a family living in Wallasey. It […]
The Spinning Heart Machine by Martin Smith
We are delighted to offer this limited edition collector’s piece from Martin Smith. It is the next piece in a series of his kinetic objects that celebrate love. As the handle is turned the gears engage to hypnotically flip, spin and rotate the heart. “She makes my heart spin, she always has”. Materials: Steel and […]
Cam Followers for Automata – Dug’s Tips 16
Cams are the mechanisms that add life to our automata. As many people have noted, they can be viewed as a type of ‘memory’ that allows the mechanism to perform the same motion over and over again. Cams can’t do it alone, however. Cams are usually paired with a cam follower that translates the shape […]
