Title: Bird, Bellow, Whistle.

Year: 2012

Dimensions: Height 83cm x Width 30cm x Depth 30cm.

Materials: Steel, brass, fabric, motor, custom electrics and a feather.

Power: 12v motor

Edition: Unique

The concept came for the notion of waking up to the wonderful sound of birdsong. Rather than a caged living bird an elaborate mechanically operated sliding whistle has been devised that can be set and activated when required.

“I wanted a piece that could be set, as with an alarm clock, and would allow you start the day gently. I am interested in producing mechanical bird sounds and seeing the cause and effect through a mechanism. For me the making is very important and I wanted to craft every part of the machine, to understand how the bellows are constructed and operate and to get the bird whistle sounding just right.”

- Martin Smith, 2012

Bird, Bellow, Whistle featured in Mechanical Marvels: Clockwork Dreams on BBC Four. A documentary presented by Professor Simon Schaffer which charts the amazing and untold story of automata - extraordinary clockwork machines designed hundreds of years ago to mimic and recreate life.