Singing Pistols

A wonderful little bit of historical design for you here. A matching pair of singing bird pistols attributed to the Geneva based workshop, Frères Rochat. The Brothers Rochat (Jacques, David and Henri) where the songs of master watchmaker David Rochat, they produced high-quality automaton singing bird music boxes during the eighteenth and nineteenth century, made up of thousands of tiny components, each working together to to beautifully animate a feather clad bird which sings its own song.

The Rochat's were masters of their craft, the first to create the movement that not only allowed the bird to sing and rotate, but to have its head, body, wings and beak move as it rotated on its base. And though the know-hot to make such movements had been lost two hundred years ago, it has been revived in 2010 by Stéphane Velan, who took three years to rediscovered how the 1227 piece movement function and began to bring back this defunct, though beautiful art form.

Just look at that tiny bird!

I find these things fascinating. But I like the insides of watches far more than the outsides...plus, goldsmith geekery.

Link | Frères Rochat Official Site
Link | Singing Bird Pistols  via Christies

Link | Twittering Machine via The Golden Smith

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Listening: Golden Slumber - The Beatles