The Mechanical Magic of Scotland’s House of Automata | Show and Tell | Atlas Obscura

Ready for a shot of joy and wonder? Maria and Michael Start, the owners of the House of Automata in Forres, Scotland, talk to Atlas Obscura co-founder Dylan Thuras in our latest episode of Show & Tell. Watch their collection of charmingly whimsical objects-from a mechanical, bubble-blowing bear to an automaton that pours vodka in an infinite loop-come to life.
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[@droidrage7880]

“It’s like 4-paw drive.” This couple just won my heart.

[@michaelatalwar7094]

This bird is so incredibly enchanting. So magical.

[@GeorgiaGeorgette]

I completely agree. The first time I saw one I actually wept, it's so wonderful.

[@nattygirldred]

This is one of the BEST things that I have watched today. Living in Long Beach, CA and having worked on the Queen Mary ( several times during Halloween as a character actor), hearing this story about how this amazing automaton literally saved actual human lives is just, it just fills my heart up. What can I say. Thank you for interviewing them.

[@changeshifter4852]

Absolutely enchanting. I could spend a whole day with these lovely people. Thank you for bringing us another episode!

[@atlasobscura]

So glad you loved this episode-it was a joy to talk with them :)

[@dianeforti8696]

Great segment, Dylan. What a delightful treat!

[@debbieomi]

AO, when you're interviewing people who have an active internet presence, please put their links in the description box. Thank you For those who do not instagram or can't catch the House of Automata's live shows, they upload it to their KZbin channel. Going to go sub right now!

[@saintpedr00]

wow this couple and their automata are spectacular! i've been binge watching all their videos on the house of automata youtube channel

[@kathytaylor7034]

Sammy the crab yes! I’ve been watching them too, they are awesome!

[@Mentocthemindtaker]

Thank you so much for these videos. Automata are amazing, they're not just magnificent feats of engineering, but feats of the imagination.You could have all the engineering skill in the world, but it takes real ingenuity and imagination to actually bring them to life and give them such endearing personality. Very much enjoyed this.

[@bethbetts1844]

Thanks for sharing. Super fun!

[@atlasobscura]

Thanks for watching!

[@sharoncunningham2638]

Wonderful and magical!

[@nigelryenarznz]

More of these folks please.

[@clieding]

The guests are enchanting and the host is absolutely charming; I thoroughly enjoyed this! When I was about four-years-old my mother took me to visit an elderly woman. She also had a mechanical bear who poured himself a drink from from a little bottle and drank it. I was absolutely fascinating and was determined to understand how it worked. I probed the poor bear perhaps more aggressively than I should have and in the end had exposed its secret. My triumph was short lived as “the little scientist” in me had killed the magic. I am now sixty-two-years-old and I haven’t thought of that bear again in all these years and because of this video the precious memory of that curious child and the wonderful bear has vividly returned- now that is magic!

[@rogerbublitz1722]

Great video !! Love seeing all of the items. Thanks for sharing.

[@littlemessymissythehedgero3164]

This is amazing! More please.

[@kitthearty]

Fantastic. Love the cams on those things. So clever to make them so they are able to change behaviours tunes etc. A connection between the power store of a spring, the precision of a machine, the eccentric type motion of a living thing and that question "what makes something alive?"

[@1Clearwords]

I'm in love with the leopard - incredibly life-like action! 😻 Automatas are one of my favourite human creations. This couple are wonderful curators / guardians of these objects; they understand the value of them as is -- restoring the missing parts would devalue the vision of the automatas' creators and cheapen the objects overall.

[@staceymowchan8766]

I completely enjoyed this, please return!

[@atlasobscura]

We'll do our best :)

[@nicolefields5917]

Thank you for bringing us these enchanting and amazing works of engineering and artistry. What a pleasure it was to see them!

[@atlasobscura]

Our pleasure! Glad you enjoyed it. :)

[@nigelcarren]

From a maker of miniature armour and many miniature mechanical marvels...Thank you for this! Best wishes from an Englishman in a French forest (and all the mice!) SUBSCRIBED 🏆⚒️🇬🇧🐭🐭🐭🐭🐭

[@olgaz2498]

omg i love this so much they are like steampunk toys

[@gm83]

Franklin institute in Philadelphia has Maillardet's Automaton that was the inspiration for Brian Selznick's book The Invention of Hugo Cabret and the 2011 movie Hugo. So if you can't get to Scotland...

[@atlasobscura]

Thanks for the heads up! It's definitely one of our favorite Place entries: www.atlasobscura.com/places/maillardets-automaton

[@thehouseofautomata]

Hugo is THE Automaton movie! (The House of Automata were 'Automata & Horological' consultants for the movie).

[@gm83]

@@atlasobscura Hey, thanks. I missed that.

[@gm83]

@@thehouseofautomata That is an awesome movie.

[@lezzleee]

The bird box seriously made me want to make one for myself. It's so beautiful.

[@ninablurban7937]

Thank you so much, Atlas Obscura, for introducing this fantastic couple and curious place! I follow them avidly now. Makes the pandemic so much more bearable.

[@jakikennedy9593]

This is as close to magic as we'll probably ever get! This is wonderful! Thank you for sharing!

[@atlasobscura]

You are so welcome! Magic IS real... it just takes the form of whirring gears :)

[@DarnItWorkshops]

That first one is definitely haunted.

[@bcgrote]

Fantastic!

[@jkinnicutt]

The video started out a little slow, and I almost clicked away. I'm so glad I didn't. This was amazing!!! I've already started following them on Instagram :)

[@AlphaGeekgirl]

John Kinnicutt Patience Padawan

[@user-vp1eq9oy5z]

Wow .amazing. more videos like this please.and what lovely people. 😃

[@PsYcHoAnGiL]

Wonderful video! Like most people, I've been having a hard time lately. These beautiful objects warmed my heart when I needed it the most. Thank you for sharing!

[@atlasobscura]

So glad that this could help a little.

[@ascalapha_]

These videos are amazing!! Thank you💖

[@rebelbelle62]

These are so magical! And I love the story behind the bear!😍Theres nothing like these Automata! Like the first of the future robots really!

[@janetmackinnon3411]

How splendid!

[@roarmaus]

More automata, please! A series!

[@thehouseofautomata]

oneroarmouse kzbin.info/www/bejne/iKKYfJKYbMujopI

[@brianwagner1102]

So cool! We were not able to visit House of Automata on out Scotland visit last summer; this is almost as good!

[@atlasobscura]

You'll just have to return when you can, Brian!

[@okiecowchick]

I absolutely love them!! Yes I think the bubble blowing bear spent way too much time with the vodka bear!!

[@atlasobscura]

it happens, you know? Just gotta grin and bear it.

[@cemozturk7714]

I am crazy about this couple they are so talented

[@rickster3488]

- this is fantastic.

[@anselmandrian5220]

Thank you very much . Also for all of your MAILS . Greetings & best kind regards . Anselm Andrian ( real-name )

[@seripoyoo-chaan-jg2jl]

I saw their collection on their TikTok account and it was cool to see some antique automatons

[@JeffinBville]

That was wonderful.

[@Amanda-kw1vi]

Love these things!!!!! I've wanted one forever

[@brendakrieger7000]

Fantastic

[@khozimajivanji5338]

It's a remarkable show on net❤ a masterpiece Please also show how they are made 😊

[@kasugaifox8571]

I'm amazed that any of these have survived for this long in working order. The bird box was the coolest.

[@gaillevine3188]

Lovely...

[@kevinfults7557]

I couldn't sleep in the same house as those things. CREEPY! That being said, very cool though.

[@pamelahandley1404]

Love Atlas Obsura, Thanks for bring this! I do find the camera going back and forth between the host and guests is annoying.

[@user-gg8yq7te9b]

Очень интересно они волшебники всех всех михонических кукол золотые руки мастера✌👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@therealpixie]

A silver lining in this awful time is that Dylan is back in front of the camera.

[@johnrose7491]

WOW

[@AnuschkaConoci]

Ah - like the figurines of Jacquet Droz.

[@icequeen917]

I LOVE automata! I think it started with seeing the animatronic elves in the Santa displays at Xmas back in the 70's! There's no way on earth I'll ever be able to afford one but I can dream! :)

[@hannahmitchell9014]

How is the 'vodka' in the bear's bottle replenished over time?

[@crystalclear6864]

Her names hebba and we love her just like this👍quite right

[@abdelrahmanmustafa1633]

I love you Mum and Dad and bro

[@tanjahorvatserbiaoldslavsh4685]

🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩

[@tanjahorvatserbiaoldslavsh4685]

🤯🤯🤯

[@margaretdrew2844]

The first one had beautiful hair

[@vjmarak]

I hope they know how lucky they are to have such a fun and interesting job (assuming it's their only job!). Yeah, they must..... ; ^{}

[@atlasobscura]

It is such a delight to talk to them, because it's so clear that they love what they do!

[@tornadoe13]

Its a real shame they wont restore the damaged ones. Such a missed opertunity

[@monkey93xf]

Well no...Dylan....it's a MAGIC bottle.

[@ihatejuice]

Watching this with automatonophobia... Just wanted to trigger it so i can go to bed with anxiety i guess lmao

[@margaretdrew2844]

The second one is very creepy

[@patersondave44]

should be less host and more automata

[@dangolfishin]

This! The host was a detraction

[@zenymuse]

The first automata (lady) looks like she might be holding and patting a baby

[@kathysenn7664]

I thought so too.. and the music is a lullaby :)

[@CuttySobz]

What a strange couple..

[@susancollender6478]

I’d have loved to have watched this; but in order to do so, I’d have had to sit through a commercial for the EPOCH TIMES-an outlet for disinformation. No way. Too bad.