The Maillardet family

Henri Maillardet was born in Meyriez in 1745, he was a Swiss mechanician.
He worked in the watchmaking industry in Berlin. Then he became an associate of Jacquet-Droz and Leschot, directing their branch in London. He built several androïds which he exhibited in England after 1800. Among his works the most famous is the Draughtsman-Writer.

Jean-David Maillardet, brother of Henri Maillardet, was born in Fontaines (Neuchâtel) in 1748. Clockmaker and automatist, he worked some time in the Factory of Berlin, then established himself in Fontaines where he became a friend of Jacquet-Droz. He built many automata, in particular magicians.

Julien Auguste Maillardet (1779-1852) is the son of Jean David. Also a clockmaker and automatist, he worked with his father in Fontaines.

The Maillardet are known for their magician automata. Most well known of all are the large magician and the small magician which we can still admire in the International Museum of Clock Making in La Chaux-de-Fonds (Switzerland).