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Buy this image as a print
BuyLicense this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library
LicenseThis image is released under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 Licence
Buy this image as a print
BuyLicense this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library
LicenseThis image is released under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 Licence
Buy this image as a print
BuyLicense this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library
LicenseThis image is released under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 Licence
Buy this image as a print
BuyLicense this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library
LicenseAutomation mechanism for the ornamental turning 'rose-engine' lathe, unsigned, German, 1750-1888. Watchmaker's lathe.
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum
Automation mechanism for the ornamental turning 'rose-engine' lathe, unsigned, German, 1750-1888. Watchmaker's lathe.
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum
Automation mechanism for the ornamental turning 'rose-engine' lathe, unsigned, German, 1750-1888. Watchmaker's lathe.
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum
Automation mechanism for the ornamental turning 'rose-engine' lathe, unsigned, German, 1750-1888. Watchmaker's lathe.
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum
Automation mechanism for the ornamental turning 'rose-engine' lathe, unsigned, German, 1750-1888. Watchmaker's lathe.
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum
Automation mechanism, for ornamental turning 'rose-engine' lathe, unsigned, German, c. 1740
The lathe which this automaton clockwork mechanism drove automatically produced a complex geometrical pattern, cut into a small round piece of wood. In so doing it replicated the work of a human turner, who could decorate things such as watchcases or medallions.
The lathe’s astonishing design reflects that it was made for someone wealthy – it is traditionally associated with King Frederick the Great of Prussia, who was also a turner. Possessing this wondrous machine, performing its lifelike task, would have emphasised Frederick’s position as a great statesman.
Details
- Category:
- Hand and Machine Tools
- Object Number:
- 1888-393/4
- Materials:
- brass (copper, zinc alloy), gunmetal and wrought iron
- credit:
- Pratt, S.
