MECHANICAL TOYS
0193 In 1884 the Dundee Evening Telegraph ran a short article concerning ‘Mechanical Curiosities’ that had been publicly exhibited in recent decades. Among these were two ‘mechanical songsters, which the French troops brought back as part of the spoils from the Emperor’s summer palace at Pekin’. (17 May 1884, Dundee Evening Telegraph, p. 4.) 26 February 2016.
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0254 In 1899 the Pall Mall Gazette ran a piece on James Cox, watchmaker, and the Cox Museum, which he established in Spring Gardens:
‘Cox himself was a most ingenious mechanician, a silver smith and watchmaker, whose place of business was at 103, Shoe-lane, Fleet-street. When the victories of Clive in India, and the success of the same great soldier-statesman in purifying and settling the government of the East India Company’s dominions made it likely that many parts of the interior of India would be made accessible to British commercial enterprise, Cox determined to take advantage of the new openings for trade, and constructed a number of elaborate toys and ornamental contrivances of the most cunning and intricate mechanism, and of the richest materials, which he hoped to sell at a handsome profit to the Indian princes and rajahs. The ravages of Hyder Ali in the Carnatic, a terrible famine in Bengal, and other disturbing events—wars and rumours of wars—prevented this plan from being carried out, and Cox found his ingenious pieces of mechanism left on his hands, practically unsaleable, for Europe afforded no market for costly baubles of this kind. Some of Cox’s productions, however, must have reached the Far East, for on the occasion of the plundering of the Summer Palace at Pekin in 1860, several articles of jewellery and curious mechanical contrivances were found bearing the name and address: “James Cox, Jeweller, 103, Shoe-lane, London.” But these were probably of less value and of less interest than the wonderful articles which he had prepared for India. (6 September 1899, Pall Mall Gazette, p. 8.) 26 February 2016.
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0047 The following item was included in the catalogue of Capitaine Negroni’s collection of spoils from the Yuanmingyuan, exhibited at the Crystal Palace in 1865:
174. A little golden filagree cage of the style of Louis XVI., ornamented with fine pearls and enamels. In the base is a piece of mechanism, calculated to be composed of 2,500 distinct pieces. In connection with it is a watch and two beautiful little birds, which move and sing in the most natural manner. The movement is not simply turning from side to side, but wings, beak, tail, and eyes are all in motion, and the tone is just what might be produced by a living bird. [also listed under timepieces.]
See Catalogue of Captain de Negroni's Collection of Porcelain, Jade, Jewels, Silks, Furs, Stones, &c., from Yuen-Min-Yuen, (The Summer Palace) Pekin, London: McCorquodale & Co. 1865, p. 30.) The collection was sold through Messrs. Foster in June 1866. (16 June 1866, Birmingham Gazette, p. 4.)
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0160 An article on the Chester Art Loan Exhibition in 1875 reported:
‘Among the “old plate” is a curious antique watch, which was taken by Captain Lascelles from the summer palace at Pekin. This timepiece is about 4 1/2 inches in diameter and is exceedingly heavy. On pressing a little stone which is set in the ring, the mechanism inside plays a tune, and figures revolve around a landscape carved on the back. The watch is of undoubted English workmanship, and is believed to have been taken by Lord Macartney.’ (9 January 1875, Wrexham Advertiser, p. 8.) [also listed under timepieces.] 26 February 2016.
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