German, circa 1890,

 

Eyes which follow you around the room...

 

When wound and the start/stop lever actuated on the side, the completely silent-running open-spring movement drives the portrait to change, with the head leaning from one side to the other, as his eyes move from left to right, up and down, eyelids closing and opening and mouth also opening and closing to change from a sad pose all the way through to a very cheerful one. 

All in full colour lithographed layers of three stages, with the farmer wearing a red hat, blue and white squared shirt with single brace to apron fringe, on cream ground, framed with silvered mount, behind the period glazed fronted box frame, finished with plain mitred edged ebonised frame, verso with winding hole access and backboard with the Hoyt winding and operating/maintenance instructions on paper label, with period key. 

 

Size 

27in. high, 22in. wide, depth max 3in. - (69 x 56 x 7.5cm)

 

Point of interest

 

Hoyt was a German firm who, surprisingly, made little in the way of automata.  But they struck gold with what they did make and this model made its debut in 1885.  They also produced a Gibson Girl, a City Gent and a young girl with pigtail hair style, although the Black Farmer is considered the most famous and certainly the most successful commercially at the time.  Hoyt's wares was for the American market, with few superb examples found in the world - especially in Europe. 

 

The action of a Hoyt 2-D automaton is truly astounding.  Such a simple design, yet the output and effect continues to amaze audiences today.

 

The movement is a very well-set open-spring affair with a wide-blade governor as the escape, which revolves very slowly.  The three layers of lithograph are cammed in the centre in a slight oval and so when set in motion, the layers cross over slightly, revealing or concealing the layer underneath.  As the ovals of the layers do a full-circle eventually, the expressions seen on the figure change from one extreme to the other.  Set on full-wind, this can go a full 4 hours without attention.

 

Set this up on your wall, flanked by an array of static paintings, wind and turn on for a full and surprising performance which will astound all who see.  At first glance, you cannot see the portrait changing.  Then you take notice once something in the corner of your eye attracts your attention...