An automaton is a self-operating mechanical figure, often built centuries ago by clockmakers, that moves as if alive through gears, cams and springs. Singing-bird automatons, like Bliss Kolb’s Molly, can flutter, turn their heads and produce birdsong without electronics. In this story, an automaton became a celebrity flashpoint after Kelly Clarkson asked about the $15,000 piece in a Brooklyn shop and the visit turned into a public dispute about how she was treated.
(vagueonthehow / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0))
Mentioned in: What to Know About Kelly Clarkson’s Feud with the Brooklyn Store Where She Claims She Got the “Pretty Woman” Treatment