Tue, 28 October

LOTUS, MECHANICAL Gear-teeth: 144, brass, involute profile, 20° pressure angle. Petals: 8, copper-phosphor alloy, 0.8mm gauge, cold-rolled. Pivot: single, spring-loaded, torsion constant unknown. When assembled, the device opens at dawn and closes at no particular hour. It has never produced seeds. Origin: attributed to a bearded machinist whose name the museum has lost. Acquired 1987 from a surplus lot labelled MEETINGS / MISC. Do not oil. Do not wind. It runs on something we have not yet named.