1930 – SABOR II – August Huber (Swiss)

From “Automata”, Chapuis and Droz. Translated by Alec Reid 1958. “Sabor II,” a Swiss giant, the brain-child of Auguste Huber, who brought it into the world in Appenzell, Switzerland. Prior to Sabor IV, Huber had previously built three other automata, one of which he began when he was only 12 years old.  This was made …

1870 – “Steam Man” – E. R. Morrison (American)

This wood and brass model with clockwork by Enoch Rice Morrison  is a walking mechanism probably very similar to his “Steam Man”. The maker’s name is painted on an upright as is his home town – Bergen, NJ  The model is 6.5″ tall. I have now located the patent for this mechanism – see below. Tuapeka Times, Volume III, …

1886 – Ali the Electrical Automaton – De Lacy (British)

Middlesex Music Hall Place London, Holborn Title Middlesex Music Hall, … Enormous attraction, the sensation of 1886. Ali … the wondrous electrical automaton! Ali has taken nearly a life time to construct. Its movements are so life-like that it is difficult to believe it is not endowed with life! Admitted by press & public to be the …

1980 – Mr. Robotham the Great – Peter Holland (British)

The last of Peter Holland's Mr. Robotham series of robots, "Mr. Robotham the Great". Super lightweight at 6 1/2 pounds. See complete pdf of "Mr. Robotham the Great" in Radio Modeller December 1981 here. See Peter's earlier robots from 1955 here. See other early Humanoid Robots here.