Powered by a hand crank that doubles as a propeller, this wood automata submarine is bustling with activity, including workouts, naps, medical checkups, and even a monkey reading a newspaper on the toilet. Tiny bell sounds and the clatter of wooden gears make the vessel musical as it continues on its adventures.
These mini scenes were masterfully created by wooden toymaker Chi-Chun Yin of AnadouMuZuo Studio in Taiwan. The piece took the craftsman six months to create.
Yin has been creating wooden toys since 2010. This 2019 promotional video, Anadou 木作 (Anadou woodwork) provides a peek at his toymaking process and studio:
Find more of Yin’s creations on Instagram and Facebook.
Then enjoy more automata videos on TKSST, including:
• Curious Contraptions by automata artist Paul Spooner
• The Silver Swan, an 18th century automaton at the Bowes Museum
• The Writer, a drawing machine automaton by Pierre Jaquet-Droz
Plus: Rowland Emett’s Marvelous Dream Machines.
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