• Michael was charmed by an 18th century mechanical singing bird
• He taught Jude Law how to hold a screwdriver for the Scorsese film Hugo Cabret
• He talks to the automata during restoration

Michael Start is a trained clockmaker and a medallist of the British Horological Institute. This established restorer is a well-versed figure on automata of the French Golden Age (1850-1910) and the mastermind behind The House of Automata workshop. For the past 25 years, together with his wife Maria, sculptor, he has been restoring, collecting and conserving mechanical moving figures from the early 19th century to present day. Each of their restorations from singing birds, dancing dolls, lifelike animals to living dioramas present a unique set of challenges, which they try to address with their respective skills. Ultimately, preserving the value and integrity of each object is at the heart of their unique and exciting work.