The Jaquet-Droz and Leschot

Pierre Jaquet-Droz (1721-1790), was born in Neuchâtel (Switzerland) and became an engineering clockmaker. He was interested very early by applied mechanics. His instruction and his intelligence allowed him to be one of the largest mechanists of his time.

Henri-Louis Jaquet-Droz
(Doc. Alfred Chapuis)

The automata produced between 1768 and 1774 by Pierre Jaquet-Droz, Henri-Louis and Jean-Frederic Leschot are wonders of precision, to admire as masterpieces.
Work by Pierre Jaquet-Droz and his collaborators led in 1774 to the first presentation of the three automata: the Draughtsman, the Musicienne and the Writer. These three automata were presented all over the world, including Swiss high society, in the court of Louis XV in Paris, in Brussels, in London, in Kazan in Russia, in Madrid, etc...
Sold in 1787 to a Spanish "imprésario," they spent the years of the French Revolution in Spain to reappear in Paris in 1812 before starting again their travel through Europe.

About 1830, the three automata were bought by Mr. Martin and Mr. Bourquin, who, after restoring them, continued to show them in Austria, Germany and in Denmark until 1904, on which date they became the property of the German collector Carl Marfels.

Two years later, this Marfels sold them to te Society of History and Archaeology of the canton of Neuchâtel which then entrusted them to the Museum of Neuchâtel on May 1th, 1909. Now, these automata can be seen in the Museum of Art and History, Neuchatel, Switzerland.