This is one of the first automata that Keith Newstead made for Cabaret Mechanical Theatre in Covent Garden. The piece was inspired by mechanical birds of the mid 1800's which were made with real feathers. The early nineties were a very fertile period for Newstead and this is a piece in which you can see his skills as a jewellery maker.
After tens of thousands of performances The Peacock is now having a rest. It's now in need of major restoration before it can continue to delight, hopefully for many years to come.
"One of the refreshing things about these machines is that they can be wonky, made in sheds by individuals, not corporations- and it humanises technology.” Paul Spooner
