This is a self decapitating magician. He has several actions. He begins his trick by looking to the left and to the right for a few moments. Next he brings a fan across his face. The fan comes up and his head has vanished. A few taps of his wand and his head rises from the box on the table. Moments later the head disappears back into the box. Fan comes up, a tap of the wand and when the fan is removed...TaDa... his head is once again attached to his shoulders.

Preparing to do a little magic

A cat in a milk can. Upon winding, the music plays and the cat rises just enough from the can to see if anyone is there. Not seeing anyone he rises further and turns. All the while licking his lips. He must see someone for he pops down and disappears inside the can.

Here is an automaton that I recently built. It is a little boy fishing from the end of a pier. He kicks his leg while turning his head left and right, up and down. All the while whistling 'The Farmer in the Dell'. When he finishes his verse he raises his pole to take a look at the little fish on his line. Suddenly, the red bird on the fence post flaps his wings and begins to whistle. He turns to look at the bird and the birds' beak and tail move in synch with the same tune only it is being whistled one octave higher.

This is a full size singing bird cage that I built. The birds' head turns left and right and his tail feathers flutter. His beak moves in synch with his singing. Clockwork movement driving a bellows and a slide whistle with its pitch and syncopation being controlled by custom cut cams.