Description

Nottingham 1992.
Carved and painted wood.

This one-off original automata is also a collecting box. It illustrates the famous historical characters, celebrities and industries associated with the City of Nottingham.

In the glass fronted cased automata – the opening scene shows Robin Hood on one side of the glade and The Sheriff of Nottingham with Maid Marion on the other side. Note that the trees are dressed with Nottingham lace.

Behind Robin is the last working windmill and behind the Sheriff and Marion is the first on-shore oil field. When Robin sees that the Sheriff is attempting to ‘woo’ Marion, he raises his bow and fires the arrow, which travels across the glade and lands in the Sheriff’s bottom – making Marion laugh. This action triggers the Nottingham tableau of historical scenes to circle through the glade.

The procession is led by the ice skaters Torvill and Dean and followed by Boots the Chemist; a Nottingham miner on his ‘Raleigh’ bicycle; a goose from ‘The Goose Fair’ in green wellies; Yate’s Wine Lodge with musical duo and a ‘lady of the night’ with open handbag; Brian Clough doing a balancing act; Captain Albert Ball (the first RFC Victoria Cross); Players Cigarettes; and a ‘waltzer’ from the modern Goose Fair carrying Lady Chatterley & Mellors with The Salvation Army and one of Nottingham’s renowned prettiest girls.

Coin operated: Size: 88 x 118 x 56cm.
Performance time 2.40 minutes.

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