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In 1903, to commemorate Boilerplate's 10th anniversary, 12-inch brass replicas of the mechanical man were crafted by Helios Studios. Helios was known primarily for its kinetic, sculptural timepieces and music boxes. The Boilerplate figures were articulated and contained a wind-up clockwork mechanism inside the chest cavity.
Ten such maquettes were made and sold for twenty dollars each, a hefty sum at the turn of the last century. Because only three still exist -- the Musee Des Arts Et Metiers in Paris has one, and the other two are in private collections -- their value today would probably be in the six-figure range.
Through the efforts of Chicago antiques dealer Gary Fox, I was able to acquire, on loan, one of the original Boilerplate figurines. This was an invaluable resource in my attempt to produce the most authentic reproduction possible.
I fashioned major parts, such as the head and body, from PVC pipe. Other parts -- like the endcaps, chestplate, and mouthpiece -- were sculpted from air-drying A+B epoxy putty.
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At left is the original figurine; at right is my reproduction. The most noticeable differences are in proportion and color. Although the original is in poor condition, for me the tarnishes, dents, and scrapes gave it enormous character. I therefore mimicked these surface details. When I found light bulbs that closely matched the original "eyes," it was the coup de grace.
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| I found tiny bolts at a local hardware store, but had to scour obscure hobby shops for tiny hinges. At last I found them at a dollhouse supply and craft shop! I also modified some prefab parts: ball joints from a wooden artist's mannequin and a 1/6th-scale WWI helmet. |
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Not being a watchmaker, I set aside any notion of precisely copying Boilerplate's internal mechanisim. Instead, I opted to use the motors from small plastic wind-up toys. A bear on a unicycle proved ideal, as the circus design on its wheel echoed Victorian motifs.
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Sometimes I just need to "eyeball" things! I made two Boilerplate heads of slightly different scales, in order to compare their proportional relationships to the helmet and shoulder lid.
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The wire for the eyes is threaded through the shoulder lid and camouflaged. The internal spring that secures the arm's ball joints remains visible, but is integrated into the design of the "brain."
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| The best modeling tip I got was from famed sf/horror/fantasy sculptor Randy Bowen. When I described to him the desired effect for Boilerplate's surface finish, he suggested a product called Rub and Buff. It's fooled many into believing the figurine is made of metal. |
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At left is the kit-bashed wind-up toy, ready for installation as Boilerplate's "guts." |
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