Debut of Paul Spooner
The height of prosperity of Automata in the 18th century in Japan, France and Switzerland has produced many fine works of art which have high evaluation still now.
Social interest of Automata in these countries, however, decreased gradually, and thereby younger artists could not have the opportunity for the training in their countries. This is the reason why today’s Automata are produced mainly in England.
In England, a new type of Automata was born and developed. Paul Spooner, an active artist of modern Automata, has brought about a new view of the world which cannot be obtained sufficiently in the usual production of Automata.
The excellent works of Paul Spooner have attracted much attention of the people who aim to be the artist of Automata and are the collector not only in England but also in the world.
The encounter with the excellent works of Paul Spooner has made some people, who were graphic designer or animation producer, the professional artists of Automata. The number of them is not so small.
Although their works were produced only with wood and brass, their sophisticated and skillful mechanism shows joyful and humorous motions as if each toy has a human mind.
The outstanding contribution of Paul Spooner to the world of Automata is due to his excellent policy of openness for the mechanism of movement of the toys, which is usually industrial secret. He consequently brought about a new policy in the world of the production of Automata.
