1912 – Moto-Phéno – Willi Schoenen and Friedrich Hirsch (German)

Moto-Phéno die lebende Puppe: Vornehmste, interessanteste Schau der Gegenwart. Auch für Familien. Willi Schoenen gen: Moto-Phéno. Friedrich Hirsch, Impresario. Moto-Phéno, der einzige Mensch, der durch unbeugsame Willenskraft sich selbst hypnotisiert und in der Hypnose eine Puppe imitiert.

Google English translation:

MotoPHENO the living doll: noblest, most interesting sight of the present. Also for families. Willi Schoenen conditions: Moto-Pheno. Frederick Hirsch, impresario. Moto-Pheno, the only person who hypnotized by indomitable will power itself and in hypnosis mimics a doll.

Above image source: circusmuseum.nl . Poster dated 1913.

Postcard sourced from here.

From the magazine AK VARIETE there is a 1912 issue mentioning Moto Pheno mysteriose.

Any further information on "Moto-Pheno" most welcomed.


Update: 20 July 2013 – Email from Mike Hirsch

Willi Schoenen was a companion to my great-grandfather Friedrich Hirsch and godfather of my grandfather.

Some time ago I started to blog on him (http://motopheno.tumblr.com/) but it is in German …


There was a spate of living automatons appearing over a similar period of time having similar names -see Moto Phroso, Shrozo and Moto Phoso.

See the full list of Fake and Pseudo Automatons and Robots here.