This wonderful artist was born at La Chaux de Fonds (Switzerland) on the 28^th of July 1721. His parents, rich peasants, seeing the great dispositions of their Child for Study, had projected to make a clergyman of him, and consequently sent him to study theology at NeuchÂtel.

During his holidays, which he used to spend at one of his sisters, who, having abandoned the old industry of this city, which was lacemaking, married a watchmaker, the young Peter was deeply interested in all mechanics, and spent all his time working at his sister’s workshop. He soon became so industrious that everybody induced him to leave Theology and become a watchmaker.

His improvement astonished even the oldest and very best workmen, and he soon became their master.

It was about the year 1752, the year of his marriage, that he made his first singing bird,—in a gold snuff box, the bird appearing and singing when opening the box to take snuff.—

His fame became so universal, that in 1758 he was summoned by the King of Spain, for whom he worked, and made such marvellous automata that the Santa Inquisition, at a certain time wanted to condemn him as a “Sorcier,” a very terrible charge at that time.

The King of Spain having died soon afterwards, he returned to La Chaux de Fonds in 1759. In 1767 he sent his son Henri Louis Jaquet-Droz to France, where he studied mathematics in the University of Nancy (Lorraine) and on his return, three years later, he took him into partnership with him.—

The productions of the father and the son then attained the utmost of perfection. In collaboration with his father and of the very best workmen of that time, Leschot, Maillardet, and Jean Pierre Droz (who became Director of the Paris Mint) Henry Louis Jaquet-Droz, made the most marvellous pieces that have ever been produced;—the Designer, the Clavecin Player, the Young Writer, wonderful specimens which still can be seen in perfect condition and still working in the Museum of NeuchÂtel.

In 1774, Henry Louis Jaquet-Droz came to Paris and was received with the greatest favor by King Louis XVI^th and especially by the young Queen Marie Antoinette, who had ascended to the Throne the same year, who was particularly and deeply interested in his Works after she had seen the “Designer” by pressing a button, making her own portrait and that of the King’s on a blank sheet of paper placed before the instrument.—(This can still be seen in NeuchÂtel every month, and also at any time by payment of a fee.)

Jaquet-Droz afterwards went to England, where he was received by King George III.

It is in England that he made most of the singing bird boxes known of his construction.

He started a workshop in London where the most important and interesting pieces in complicated watches and boxes were made,—which after were to be found in almost every part of the world, even in China, as in 1860 on the occasion of the pillage of the Summer Palace of the Emperor of China, many pieces signed by Jaquet-Droz were discovered and brought back to Europe.

Every one is aware how much works of this nature are appreciated by the Chinese in general, and the fact that several of Jaquet-Droz’s productions were in possession of the Emperor of China is a sufficient proof of the genius of this artisan.—

Peter Jaquet-Droz died on the 28^th November 1790 aged 69 years.—

His son Henri Louis Jaquet-Droz whose health had always been delicate died in Naples, where he had gone for a cure, on the 15^th November 1791 aged 39 years.—

Little is known of the life and history of other manufacturers of Singing Bird boxes, as they were artisans in a very small way of business, working quite by themselves, in villages surrounding Geneva.—

The following is all we could find about them.——