Elephant Automaton
H. Martinet, circa 1774. Acc.no.2202

The Elephant automaton is one of the most spectacular pieces in the collection at Waddesdon, and greets the visitor as they enter the East Gallery. One of our most important conservation projects over the past two years has been the servicing of this popular object. It was made around 1774 by Hubert Martinet, a French clockmaker working in London. Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild bought it sometime before 1989, when it was played for the Shah of Persia's visit.

The automaton has two main sections: the Elephant with its howdah is separate from a large rectangular base, which has several detachable and moving parts, and contains the musical mechanism. When wound, it plays five tunes, the trunk, tail, ears and eyes of the Elephant move, some flower petals open and close, figures rotate, and snakes and other creatures writhe and move in the panels at either end.

We run the Elephant on a regular basis, but it needs maintenance to ensure that it continues to do so. In February 2008, the Elephant was removed from its base for this work. It had to be lifted up and across by four people, out of the case, as there are vertical pins from the base into each of its feet. It was dismantled, checked and oiled by Jonathan Betts, the National Trust clocks and automata adviser in a workshop on site.

In October 2009, the base received the same treatment, uncovering the musical mechanism, and revealing marks that indicate that the Elephant toured Europe as part of Tietz and Freschon's travelling museum in the mid 19th century, being dismantled and marked each time it moved to a different city or was repaired.

The conservation of both Elephant and base means that its condition should remain stable for the next ten years. To complete the process, two flowers from the base, with petals that originally opened and closed when the mechanism was wound, are also being restored to working order by Jonathan.

This project has been paid for by money raised from National Trust raffle ticket sales.

Photos courtesy of NT staff, not for reproduction without prior permission
Elephant automaton in workshop	Jonathan Betts dismantling the automaton
The outer shell of the elephant, showing the mechanism which works the eye	Close up of the musical mechanism