Cigar Box Automata

I am attracted to the richly colored and embossed images found under the lids of vintage cigar boxes. It occurred to me they could be brought to life.

I begin with a photo of the cigar box lid and then use a printer to best approximate the original image. The printed image is cut apart and glued onto thin brass sheets which are then connected to gears and levers. All of the mechanics are built inside the original box.

The viewer can turn a crank or pull a handle and discover the unexpected.

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