1904 – Enigmarelle – Alba Root / Frederick Ireland

(Images from Scientific American article Jan 13, 1906) January 13, 1906 edition of Scientific American. A CLEVER MECHANICAL AND ELECTRICAL AUTOMATON. An interesting, novel, and pseudo-scientific attraction has recently been entertaining London audiences at the Hippodrome variety theater. This is a cleverly-constructed figure which apparently walks and writes automatically. It is called Enigmarelle," and is seemingly …

1903 – “Phroso the Mechanical Doll” – Frederick Trevallion (British/French)

(Source: LA Herald 21 March 1906) Phroso appeared in Wisconsin in 1905: "'What is it anyway?' This is the question that is being asked by those who attended the performances at the Bijou theater and saw the act 'Phroso, the Mechanical Doll.' Phroso certainly is a puzzle, whether man or automaton. He or It is a …

1882 – King-Foo (King Fu) – Unknown (Chinese)

The Maitland Mercury 3 Jun 1882 p5 AN AUTOMATON SWINDLE. A strange prosecution for fraud has just been concluded at Vienna, the defendant being the proprietor of an automaton known as "King-Foo." The whole Court, from Kaiser Francis Joseph to the young princesses, has been delighted with King-Foo's marvellous performances, and the journals have been …

1894-1914 – Electric Man – Perew – (American)

The Louis Philip Perew "Electric Man", due to an often referenced article by "The Strand Magazine", is dated as 1900. Further, due to a popular site that mis-represents early walking machines and steam men, it is also referred to as "Automatic Man". I elect to present the full story as I understand it to be. …