Curious Movements

Owner: Patrick and

Ann Turner

Address: P.O. Box 356,

Rogers 72757

Phone: 501-631-7209

Hours: by appointment only

Start-up date: Jan. 1

E-mail address:

[email protected]

Design engineer Patrick Turner didn’t set out to start a business, but his venture, Curious Movements, now seems inevitable. Originally, Turner discovered his hobby from a book called 509 Mechanical Movements. First printed in 1856, the book showed different designs for small, geared mobiles, and Turner taught himself to recreate the machines.

Because he used wood rather than metal to craft the gears, the first prototype for Curious Movements took almost a year to complete. As people began talking about the gadgets, Turner sold 15 works, and seven more have been ordered.

Now, made of highly-polished oak fitted with brass and copper finishings and a small motor, each moving sculpture takes about 20 hours to create, Turner said. Offering three different movement designs, he charges $200-$250 each, and he creates them after work in his garage. During the day, Turner designs for Assembled Products Inc. in Rogers, where he has been employed for almost seven years.

“It’s an executive toy,” he said.

Now that his products are catching on, Turner plans to increase his efficiency. He said he wants to outsource some of the smaller components of the machines, but he will continue to make the gears himself.