We are sprinkling a variety of House of Automata magic dust at AutomataFest 2025 in Hastings UK this May. But the big news is that a porous Brexit border has allowed a new delivery of ‘Pulex Irritans’ performing Fleas to slip through customs via the old Etymological suppliers in Ireland. The show is sadly Sold Out….but there is a waiting list!
All ‘Silent Night’ and “Xmas Salon” tickets now sold out. Instead why not come to our Automata Exhibition which is open as normal on the dates below:
SILENT NIGHT: On Thursday the 19th of December at 7pm. A special candlelit show for a small audience of 20 people. The performance is a sequence of silent Automata that whirr and click in an atmospheric soundscape. The grand finale will culminate in an attempt to bring them all to life simultaneously.
CHRISTMAS SALON: On Saturday the 28th of December at 2.30pm the Salon performance will be a festive special. This is our last Saturday Salon event of the year as we close on January 10th until April 2025
The dress on this Roullet & Decamps Magician was reduced to silken shreds and we made the decision to replace the material with the exact same weight of silk with an identical pattern. The silk was dyed to the right base colour and then a pallet of silk dyes was used to hand paint the pattern onto the material. All the existing trimmings and lace were retained preserving the automaton for another 100 years if kept out of the light. We were quite happy with the restoration but were delighted to find the doll feature on the cover of this cover article.
Here is some news we are excited about:
The Homo Faber Foundation have invited Michael & Maria from The House of Automata to demonstrate our craft of automata restoration at the 2024 Venice Biennale, we plan to carry out a singing bird box restoration and the creation of a new head and hands for an automaton.https://www.homofaber.com/
Michael and Maria Start will be at the Fondazione Giorgio Cini in Venice for four days from 10th to 13th of September, tickets available from the Homo Faber website.
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AUTOMATA DEMONSTRATIONS – On the last Saturday of every month ‘The Saturday Salon’ at 3.00pm.
‘The Saturday Salon’ is a talk about automata and our work with close up demonstrations of many rare and entertaining automata. Followed by special access to the museum collection and workshop. The first in a series of special events for a small audience of 20 people The cost is £15/ £12 child, advance booking essential. Call in at the shop or email to book : magic@thehouseofautomata.com
An opportunity to see rare antique automata perform right in front of you. From Acrobats to Singing Birds, a variety of surreal mechanical treasures. Stare into the eyes of a 150 year old Tiger as he growls…. and then LEAPS!
The shop with an interactive exhibition of automata is open at our 32 High Street premises on Thursday and Friday (10am – 4pm) and Saturdays (10am – 1pm) other times by appointment. The Automata Experience with workshop guided tour is available other days by arrangement.
The only magazine about Automata in the world. Published online with optional print editions 6 times a year. The articles are written by makers and specialists who cover every aspect of making and collecting automata. Below is the article on The House of Automata in the latest edition. I have added the Index page at the end to show the full range of articles. Online subscription is very affordable and a rewarding way to join the worldwide community of Automatists. Click here for the Automata Magazine Website.
Little Tich came to us in a very sad and bedraggled state. He had been stored in a damp garage for many years and was dead on his feet at a precarious angle. The mechanism was rusted and broken, the original suit and hat were almost completely eaten by moth and his famous big boots no longer fit for the stage.
You can see the trails and tribulations of his dramatic restoration on Salvage Hunters – The Restorers Series 5 Episode 4 First on Wednesday 20th April on Quest TV UK and stream on Discovery Plus UK.
Salvage Hunters – The Restorers, Series 5 Wednesdays 9pm on Quest TV, channel 12 and on Discovery Plus.
Michael and Maria are on TV with two spectacularly eventful automata restorations.
Episode 2 Wednesday 6th April 2022 we tackle a large clockwork Acrobat Automaton who comes to us in a terrible condition. After a painstaking restoration he is returned to his former glory, looking spectacular whilst performing his incredible one handed handstand atop his ladder, towering above Drew Pritchard!
Episode 4 Wednesday 20th April 2022. This time we are challenged to give Little Tich, a ‘huge’ star of the Music Hall back his mojo. With some extremely tricky restoration needed to his mechanism and clothing, this Automaton tests our skills, our patience and our marriage!
Don’t worry if you miss it on Wednesday, you will find it repeated throughout the week and then just when you least expect it… in perpetuity!
