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©House of Automata
©House of Automata
©House of Automata
©House of Automata
©House of Automata

Michael & Maria Start

  • The House of Automata
  • Automaton builder
  • Forres, United Kingdom
  • Master Artisan
Michael & Maria Start Automaton builder
©House of Automata

The doll whisperers

  • • Michael was charmed by an 18th century mechanical singing bird
  • • He taught Jude Law how to hold a screwdriver for the Scorsese film Hugo Cabret
  • • He talks to the automata during restoration

Michael Start is a trained clockmaker and a medallist of the British Horological Institute. This established restorer is a well-versed figure on automata of the French Golden Age (1850-1910) and the mastermind behind The House of Automata workshop. For the past 25 years, together with his wife Maria, sculptor, he has been restoring, collecting and conserving mechanical moving figures from the early 19th century to present day. Each of their restorations from singing birds, dancing dolls, lifelike animals to living dioramas present a unique set of challenges, which they try to address with their respective skills. Ultimately, preserving the value and integrity of each object is at the heart of their unique and exciting work.

Read the full interview

Works

  • ©House of Automata
  • ©House of Automata
  • ©House of Automata
  • ©House of Automata
Photo: ©House of Automata
Bebe Rose - Roullet & Decamps, Paris

A single large red rose sits in a small basket. When the clockwork is wound with the key the top of the flower slowly opens and a doll rises up out of the flower, she looks around and blows kisses with her hands, before darting back down into the flower as the lid slams shut.

Diameter 25 cm

Photo: ©House of Automata
The Violin Player - Leopold Lambert - Paris

Clockwork automaton of a violin playing clown sitting on a white chair. The figure has finely jointed wooden legs and well carved wooden hands. The clockwork mechanism is within the body and powers the bowing action of the violin, the clothes and the violin are missing. The head turns as he plays.

Length 40 cm
Width 28 cm
Height 56 cm

Photo: ©House of Automata
Lay Figure Head - France

A life sized head removed from a lay figure for restoration of the features. The lay figure is used as an artist’s model when human models are unavailable. The thick papier-mâché head is fitted to a wooden neck socket. Gesso has been applied to smooth the surface and the eyes have been painted with a realistic blue colour.

Length 20 cm
Width 19 cm
Height 28 cm

Photo: ©House of Automata
Pierrot Serenading the Moon - Vichy - Paris

A large crescent moon has a human face with a large brown glass eye and opening mouth. Sitting on the lower end of the moon is a Pierrot figure dressed in silk and playing a lute. When wound with a key the Pierrot strums the lute and bows his head before sticking out his tongue. In response the moon rolls its eye upwards and opens its mouth.

Length 48 cm
Width 25 cm
Height 56 cm

Enjoy an experience with Michael & Maria Start

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