Maria Start (born 14 December 1966) is a British automata maker and restorer.McAlley, N. (2014, September). Let’s do lunch. Highland Life, Issue 116 She trained in Fashion design in Maidenhead, Berkshire, and now specialises in the conservation and restoration of antique automata, with a focus on 19th Century automata.
Maria Start is co-founder of "The House of Automata". Together with her husband, Michael Start, they restore and deal in antique automata. Founded in London, it is now based in the North of Scotland, where “The House of Automata” operates from a workshop studio.Thuras, D. (2020, April 30). Show & Tell: The Mechanical Magic of Scotland’s House of Automata. Atlas Obscura. https://www.atlasobscura.com/videos/the-mechanical-magic-of-scotland-s-house-of-automata (13 March 2019)
Media and television Maria Start features as an expert on Salvage Hunters- The Restorers, produced by Quest and Discovery Channel. Together with her husband Michael, they appear in Series 3, 4, 5 and 6, as experts in Automata restoration & similar mechanical toys and games.Quest TV. (2020, July 9). Restoring Rare 19th Century Roullet-Decamps Drumming Bear Automaton | Salvage Hunters: The Restorers. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iL2nS1PXZXQStart, M. (2020, July 11). Magician & Drumming Bear – The Restorers on Quest TV | The House of Automata. The House of Automata. https://thehouseofautomata.com/2020/07/11/drumming-bear-the-restorers-on-quest-tv/McAlley, N. (2020, April 8). Couple’s antique clockwork characters are worldwide hit. STV News. https://news.stv.tv/highlands-islands/couples-antique-clockwork-characters-are-worldwide-hit?top
References
External links The House of Automata The House of Automata The House of Automata - YouTube Login • Instagram Salvage Hunters on Quest discovery+ | Stream 55,000+ Real-Life TV Episodes Michael Start Automata Convention