Automaton
Category
Toys
Date
circa 1850 - circa 1900
Materials
Cardboard, paper, tape, glass, wood, metal and artificial flowers
Measurements
Base – 482 mm (length); 231 mm (width), Automaton –365 mm (height), Dome -510 mm (height)
Order this imageCollection
Sudbury Hall Museum of Childhood, Derbyshire
NT 662054
Summary
A handmade automaton inside a glass dome (circa 1850). It comprises a painted cardboard stone bridge with a crenelated tower to the right and tiled and gabled houses to the left. In front of the bridge is a three masted cardboard galleon, the hull is painted black and red and is set on a green painted paper sea. On a revolving tape band situated behind the bridge are eight pairs of mounted soldiers on horses which are made of painted card. A painted figure with a blue jacket and red trousers is fixed to the top of the tower and can be made to revolve round the tower by means of a pulley and string in the base of the automaton. Artificial ferns are set on painted cardboard rocks around the sea. The various houses have painted timber framed features and gables. The whole is mounted on a black painted oval wooden base and a red cord lies around the outer edge of the base of the dome. Towards the rear of the base, to the left, is a ring attached to a string. Two metal knobs, also on the left hand side, are labelled, on white paper labels, 'start' and 'tune'. The base sits on four wooden legs. On the inside of the back half of glass dome is a painted scene depicting mountains and lakes. Total number of items is 2.
Provenance
Loaned to the Museum of Childhood by the Betty Cadbury Trust Sudbury in January 1994.