Popular science monthly . ch far more clearlyand correctly than mostcourtiers, and automa-tons that even wentthrough the mo-tions of playing agame of were mechan-ical curiosities—nothing more. But it must notbe supposed thatthe art of makingmechanical dum-mies is , it flourishesmore richly thanever, simply be-cause it has beenput upon a commercial basis. Onlyonce in his lifetime would an eighteenthcentury mechanic produce a dancing orletter-writing figure; it was years beforehe completed his labors. But with theaid of modern factory machinery, auto-matons are turned out a
Popular science monthly . ch far more clearlyand correctly than mostcourtiers, and automa-tons that even wentthrough the mo-tions of playing agame of were mechan-ical curiosities—nothing more. But it must notbe supposed thatthe art of makingmechanical dum-mies is , it flourishesmore richly thanever, simply be-cause it has beenput upon a commercial basis. Onlyonce in his lifetime would an eighteenthcentury mechanic produce a dancing orletter-writing figure; it was years beforehe completed his labors. But with theaid of modern factory machinery, auto-matons are turned out as easily and asrapidly as automobiles. Who wantsthem? The Coney Islands anti tiic IvirlCourts of the world. Somehow thehuge, automatic musical orcliestras, tothe acconii)animent lA which one eatspo()corn and marvels at the tattooedman, are far too tame for the sensation-loving showmen who enliven poi)ularseaside resorts. The orchestrions lackthe luunan loucii. And so, the machinerythat grinds out the latest dance or the. Painting the facesmusicians inT latest song must be adorned withmeciianical figures—figures clothed withgarish care and very lifelike in their stiff,mechanical way. They beat drums,dance, and juggle; indeed they behavevery intelligently and correctly. Triboulet of Paris, is the man whoinvents many of the more ingeniousdimimies. That he is exceptionallyingenious follows from the very natureof his creations. He must be somethingof an artist, too; for he devisesnot only the machinery bymeans of which figures ofwood and metal cutcapers, but creates awhole setting like anystage manager. First of all, ascene is plannedThen a model ofthat scene with allthe figures in it ismade in plaster orin wax, and a casttaken. If this pieceof sculpture turnsout satisfactorily,working drawingsare made of heads,arms, legs and thelike for the guid-ance of shop mechanics. The animating mechanism of theseiiiige dolls is complicated enough, as ourillustrations prove. The clown wiiog
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1870, booksubjectscience, bookyear1872
