NASHVILLE ANTIQUE ARCHAEOLOGY REMAINING INV.

Lot 237:

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1980's Howdy Doody Automaton

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Start price: $10

Estimated price: $10 - $100,000

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Description

1980’s Howdy Doody Automaton. This piece is featured on "American Pickers" Season 23 Episode 10 "Wolves in Wisconsin." This automaton was created by its owner, Mathew Bernard Gruber, a New York automaton inventor who is credited with building the first modern automaton with voice. Gruber passed away, February 28, 2024 at age 100. According to his obituary on Goodman Bensman Whitefish Bay Funeral Home’s website, "…he started his own business called Sound Display Enterprises, where he invented automatic talking puppets, (automatons), that were rented and used in point-of-sale advertising. Most notably, at that time, he was involved with The Howdy Doody Show, where he created an exact replica of the Howdy Doody marionette ? only his Howdy could talk by himself and didn?t need strings to move his arms, trunk, eyes, mouth and head. That Howdy Doody was used by the show?s sponsors throughout the country to promote their products, and Matt had to go where Howdy went, making for an exciting time of life." Mike Wolfe did not buy any automatons/puppets during the episode as Gruber called them "his children." Mike must have purchased them at a later date. This Howdy Doody is a copy of the first automaton Howdy Doody that Gruber created for the show, using spare arms he had. He built it 30 years after the original. The speaker box is marked on the back, "This Machine is leased from and is the property of Soundisplay Enterprizes 1997 Jerome Ave. N.Y.C." Measures 33 1/2" high X 12" wide X 11" deep. Provenance the remaining inventory of Antique Archaeology, closed Nashville, Tennessee location.

Condition: Condition- Mechanical condition of the doll is unknown. It was not played in the episode it was featured in. Head, neck, and hair have cracks and two missing chips. The left hand has three cracks in fingers. The right hand has one crack at thumb. The automaton’s pants and shirt are in poor condition and will need to be replaced. Boots have a few small chips. See photos.