To these different names it is only right that we should add that of the Maillardet Family:

Jean David Maillardet and Auguste Maillardet who have made many small mechanical works, after their collaboration with the Jaquet-Droz.

Unfortunately they very seldom signed their pieces, and the documents respecting their biography are consequently inexistent.

Some of their works have anyhow come under our notice, for instance a snuff box which belongs to a private collection of Neuchâtel and is loaned to the Museum of La Chaux de Fonds. The origin of that piece has been traced as it has been won in a lottery, the curious advertisement concerning which (dated 27 March 1847) is still to be seen in the Museum of La Chaux de Fonds. The number of tickets issued for the lottery was 2700, each of which was valued at “3 Francs of France.” This snuff box, bearing No 5, was valued at the time at 420 “Francs of France” (what should its value be now)?

The second piece is a “Magician” executing all sorts of tricks, which is still exhibited in the Museum of La Chaux de Fonds.

TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES

  1. Silently corrected typographical errors and variations in spelling.
  2. Archaic, non-standard, and uncertain spellings retained as printed.
  3. This book was hand-written.