Princely Toys - Automata - Uncut Version

thehouseofautomata.com
Automata are feature in this rare and poetic film produced as a BBC Christmas special broadcast on December 18th 1976. This is the (only) complete version with the full Cleopatra scene.
Featuring Jack Donovan's famous collection of spectacular automata most of which went on to form the York Museum of Automata in 1990. The news article introducing the film is from 'Art & Antiques Weekly' Dec 1976.
Jack Donovan was a well known Music Box and Automata dealer in the Portobello Road in London. I used to visit him with my young son every saturday in his shop, this was during the last year of his life when his toleration of the public was diminishing fast. We didn't speak much, every week he just gave me a couple of pennies to feed a large Polyphon and we would listen to the music, exchange pleasantries and then get on our way. Towards the end Jack helped me to move from clock restoration to become a specialist Automata restorer by giving me parts and introducing his customers. I also bought my first automaton from Jack, an unspeakably rude and un 'pc' smoker made by David Secrett (see BBC 'Small World' on DS also on YT).
This film is magnificent and a great tribute to Donovan as well as the master automaton makers from Paris whose creations feature throughout. The York Museum of Automata video is also on KZbin where many of the same automata can be seen 20 years on.
Michael Start - The House of Automata
“to be an automaton is to exist for the sole purpose of performing a predetermined repertoire; endless, unchanging, without ambition but without care”

[@33Donner77]

Imagine how impressive these were back in 1850 to an audience not really familiar with machines. Fascinating.

[@olgfried3630]

There are even older examples from the 1700s and even 1600s. kzbin.info/www/bejne/bH_XaKuCdst4htU

[@ZombieGrandpa]

Thank God this collection is now in a museum. I do hope their fire suppression system is based on something other than water! To think that one spark could destroy such history...

[@innocentnemesis3519]

These automata are not electric, they predate electricity.

[@ZombieGrandpa]

What I meant by "spark" was some other source of ignition. A gas leak, loose material catching fire, etc. A sprinkler system would cause nearly as much damage as a fire. Wet cloth molds mad fast. Metals rust away in humid environments quickly. Therefore my hope is they have a fire suppression system like Halon or other chem systems that displaces the Oxygen- and starves the fire to death. I work in IT and such systems are commonplace in IT environments. Hopefully they can afford one. They are comparable with sprinklers in term of cost. @@innocentnemesis3519

[@jodiesmith1991]

@@innocentnemesis3519if there’s a fire from anything they need to protect these treasures

[@philpots48]

In the late 80s, my g-uncle died, and he had about six automata, they were stolen before we could start to clear out his apartment.

[@stemdeckesupreme164]

I am one of your great uncles automata. We were not stolen. Our contract was up and we moved on to the next soul. Fear not, for you shall see us again.

[@ENIGMAXII2112]

Remarkable..!! Oh in how the figures are rather quite ghostly. A classic documentary very well done...

[@autumnmoon5014]

Watching the antique "princley toys" has such a unique feeling to it. Like looking back in time through a magical moving toy ❤😊

[@SlentVce]

bruh I didnt really get scared of things growing up but these things would've gave me legit nightmares. I love them

[@Bambisgf77]

The voice of the narrator is so soothing!

[@MarkMcCluney]

I think it might be Stephen Moore, the voice of Marvin the Paranoid Android.

[@SmittenKitten.]

@@MarkMcCluney I thought it was Jeremy Irons!

[@rlozandloper7207]

If you listen closely at 36:40 you can hear the Samsung washing machine tune called: ‘Die Forelle’ by Schubert.

[@Kids_Scissors]

Omg you're right I actually have those washing machines at home Samsung doll lmao

[@Bambisgf77]

I have that washing machine!!! 😮

[@hesterwright3674]

I just had one delivered today. How odd. I turned the music off immediately tho 😂

[@cocobutter3175]

How is this so creepy and yet so whimsical? It's creemsical. These toys are so beautiful and intricate, and I love seeing how they work-- even if it did give me, like, 5 new sleep paralysis demons. Make that 8, just saw the monkeys. Ah, magician lady isn't so bad. Oh, look at the cute little faces in her magic boxes. Friendly clown... little girl blowing kisses... DANGIT! Nightmare monkey! Why do you keep popping up!?

[@dylannoah0828]

This is an absolutely beautiful documentary! Thank you so much for sharing it with us!

[@thehouseofautomata]

Our pleasure!

[@ingridzabell7336]

They are so amazing and yet creepy and beautiful. I hope they still exist in 2023. And yes the voice is soothing. Thank you so much! ❤

[@UdoBloss]

I recall seeing this on the BBC around Christmas 1976 and was absolutely fascinated by the automatons, the work Jack Donovan put in in restoring and maintaining them and I still am!

[@annekabrimhall1059]

After watching you on The Repair Shop, I have started building automata kits. My dream is to rebuild a Victorian caged bird like you did!

[@studiosandi]

Go for it❤

[@davidgarston3353]

sounds cool where do you purchase the kits ?

[@annekabrimhall1059]

Timberkits and rokrpuzzles

[@SykoFox]

it's astonishing how someone could have figured out how these mechanisms would have to work without a computer and that someone would have to make parts so small and precise. it really is like magic.

[@Kids_Scissors]

3:38 the automatons get a bit quirky at night Someone had to make the joke

[@icklemon07]

Bitch i was thinking the same thing

[@jondembo511]

I'm in love with these gorgeous automata!! I so wish I had an old one. I collect music boxes, the fancier the better. I was born too late.

[@hotdogstratus6533]

The chirping bird just activated my cat lol

[@raymondhummel5211]

So incredible! Thank you Jack for sharing your amazing collection with all of us!

[@marydewitt9623]

What ever happened to this collection? This film is many decades old. Did the automata stay in private hands, get auctioned off, end up in a musuem? Anyone know?

[@colinlarson9656]

I am legit legit trippin. I had no idea anything like this existed. These are beautiful and brilliant. Lucky day for me.

[@stephenwhite5057]

Love those mechanisms

[@wizzwamf]

i didnt know this was edited ive seen the edited versions over and over but wow thanks for its entirity amazing

[@suitofspades8194]

Amazing documentary! Thank you for sharing :)

[@roberthuron9160]

They're big brothers,inhabited the Railroad interlocking,and many signaling apparatuses! The scale was greater,but the mechanics were much the same! The Victorian's took much for granted,and really never looked behind the scenes! That is another video unto itself! Basically you had mechanical virtuoso's that everyone relied on,but no one saw!! Remember the man behind the curtain!! Thank you 😇 😊!

[@VOLightPortal]

The world will be beautiful once it is 100% automated.

[@studiosandi]

So inspiring

[@sergioreyes298]

Gorgeous, fascinating, almost unbelievsble.

[@nobleharvey9935]

Amazing. Ima try my hand at this, looks like fun! Thanks for sharing this. I enjoyed it. 😉

[@autophyte]

A century later, Disney Imagineers rediscovered the art.

[@mariellouise1]

Such wonderful toys from the skill and imagination of artists and craftsmen.

[@user-lv5pf2fx3b]

美しい。。。😭❤

[@darkallegiance666]

Oh my goodness! I first read mention of the most amazing French automata over 40 years ago in a short story (I think 😊) & I was surprised, charmed & extremely curious to see these real-life creations that were antique & yet so realistic. I could hardly believe that they existed, these old, old automatons that did such clever things & were so realistic, but I could never find them, & I do believe that I googled them, but perhaps used the wrong phrases. Well, now, at long, long last, I’ve seen them, thanks to a random recommendation from KZbin, & an enormous thank you to you! They live up to - if not beyond - what I read, & I am so happy. I am now a new subscriber. Again - thank you! 💐

[@glithmasterpro]

excellent doco thanks for posting.

[@redfulla1494]

I do hope whoever (I assume museum) in Japan, did eventually get their Automata. I really hope he wasn't literally going to get buried with it. I really love these things, and have to remember this was broadcast in the 70's... but I also really hope that enthusiasts put "blackamoor" as a term for any black Automata, to rest.

[@mr.urthling9238]

i would love to learn more about musicians having to wear monkey masks in ballrooms! for some reason thats so interesting to me. beautiful documentary!! : )

[@mintylime]

Fascinating documentary, thank you so much for posting.

[@johnbird2586]

Very interesting! Thanks

[@bnsmith314]

Is there a relationship between this collection and the movie Sleuth? The original one with Caine and Olivier had several Automata. Or was that a different collection? Would anyone know? Thanks B

[@ralphchunksoup4234]

Wow thank you

[@elizabethnash7491]

I’m totally enchanted - I can see how your wonderful work is inspired 💜

[@margaretdrew2844]

They are fascinating,but I do find some of them a bit creepy . ❤

[@suzannehughes8697]

I don't know what it is about them, but I find them strangely chilling, perhaps I have got an overactive imagination, I always remember the film Barbarella, showing my age now! but in that film she was chased by a gang of old victorian dolls with little snapping white teeth, I was traumatised, mind you I was only young, I don' like dolls either, maybe that film affected me more than I realised lol! but I couldn't have one those automatons in my bedroom at night while I slept 🤖😨

[@drctrs]

After watching this, I thought what if Ridley Scott watched this and took it as his inspiration for the J. F. Sebastian's dolls room in Blade Runner?

[@hesterwright3674]

They're incredibly creepy. Amazing, but creeepy

[@Reyvion]

Are there videos on youtube with the full OST featured in this documentary or were they all made specifically just for it? I love the ones in the intro and the part with the Persian princess.

[@cecilerichardson5569]

i'd love to see this documentary restored

[@Kids_Scissors]

Do you think there will be videos similar to this in the future talking about marvels of our modern technology that were nothing short of magic at the time? I certainly hope so. Imagine future history books talking about things like the Tesla company and Elon Musk's Tesla bot, Optimus

[@matthewstokes1608]

Appreciated by humanoid automata with Elon Musk microchips inserted into their brains, maybe…

[@jelsner5077]

Cool.

[@mcxopjesh]

3:38 Wait, the fnaf music box is a real song?! I HAD NO IDEA!

[@annekabrimhall1059]

They talk about 1850 as a century ago! Lol

[@chrisandrus2735]

I mean the video is from 1976 so…

[@annekabrimhall1059]

That’s almost as old as I am!

[@sheilaathay2034]

❤🎉

[@krisrhood2127]

Hey Hey we're the Monkees!

[@gracieportillo1883]

Beautiful dolls, the monkeys are very creepy I had to look away and the graphic ones: the man hacking his wife and the coal miners demise. Are some of these in museums? Update anyone?

[@jorgecruzseda7551]

Wonderful but expen$ive Hobby 😮

[@mikeledger2614]

Nightmare.

[@dadautube]

whey is he video so low quality?

[@hesterwright3674]

It's real old

[@rigamortice]

BBC1 so it may not be true

[@justimagine2403]

Creepy as hack... and the narrator even more so. But audio animatronics at theme parks... are pretty close to rivaling these automata.

[@JosephClarke-dd4zb]

He shouldn’t take it to his grave that’s selfish. Pass it on so others can see it.

[@dmr8914]

Pity the quality of the vid is bad. I've seen 'modern' automota and none of them should be put in the same class as these works of art that still amaze today. I cant imagine someone seeing these so many years ago. It must've been magic to people.