Visual Spirits on Instagram: "The Silver Swan is a breathtaking 250-year-old automaton, handcrafted in 1773 by James Cox and John Joseph Merlin. Made of silver and powered by complex clockwork, it beautifully mimics a real swan gliding across water. It moves its head, preens its feathers, and even catches a fish, all set to gentle music. This mechanical masterpiece is still on display at the Bowes Museum in England, where it performs every day."

History | Ancient History on Instagram: "The Silver Swan automaton, created around 1773 by John Joseph Merlin and James Cox in England, is one of the most remarkable examples of 18th-century mechanical artistry, combining exquisite craftsmanship, engineering ingenuity, and aesthetic beauty. Housed in a glass case, the life-sized swan is crafted from silver-plated brass and is capable of a lifelike series of movements: it preens, turns its head, and even appears to catch and swallow a fish, all p