Automata and mechanical toys, hardcover/rodney peppe

No other craft so brilliantly captures the magic of turning a handle, icking a switch, or pulling a lever to see the unexpected come to life.

Automata and Mechanical Toys is a book for anyone drawn to simple, entertaining mechanics.

The book features 21 leading makers, each with a distinctive style.

With 160 color photos and 100 delightful examples of the craft, the book is a feast for collectors and enthusiasts.

A substantial section of the book is devoted to making automata mechanisms, ideal for novices or those wishing to learn new techniques.

Illustrated, step-by-step instructions explain how to make a bearings box, which separately houses all the main mechanisms used in automata.

The box can then be converted to any mechanism you choose.

Rodney Peppe is a winner of the British Toymakers Guild Toy of the Year Award; he has had exhibitions of his work at the Victoria & Albert Museum of Childhood.

He is also the author of Rodney Peppe s Moving Toys.