Silver Swan returns to Bowes Museum

The much loved Silver Swan automaton from The Bowes Museum at Barnard Castle has returned from a stay at the Science Museum in London.

The unique, life-size musical automaton was starring in the blockbuster exhibition, Robots.

It was the first time the artefact has left The Bowes Museum since its purchase in 1872 by the Museum founders, John and Joséphine Bowes, who paid 5,000 francs (£200) for it.

Dating from around 1773, the Swan is the only one of its kind in the world and its performances have enchanted audiences for over four centuries.

It was first recorded in 1774 as a crowd puller in the Mechanical Museum of James Cox, a London showman and dealer. Its internal workings – controlled by three separate clockwork mechanisms – are attributed to John-Joseph Merlin, the Belgian horologist and famous inventor of the time who, amongst other things, gave the world the rollerskate.

Speaking at the time of the move, Ben Russell, Lead Curator of the Science Museum’s Robots exhibition said:

The Swan is back in time for the commencement of the Museum’s 125th anniversary celebrations which begin in June.