May 20
Silver Swan Automaton… no motors, built in 1773 and still working perfectly. The Silver Swan is powered entirely by mainsprings and brass clockwork gears. Why did we stop creating such elegant engineering and beautiful pieces of art… timeless and built to last? Joseph Merlin also invented the roller skate 1760. To show them off, he skated into a fancy London ballroom while playing the violin. He sped out of control and crashed straight into a massive, mirror, destroying the violin and injuring himself.
