The Owl in Zürich

The Rosen Owl, the house’s replica bird, arrived at the Zürich Salon on Saturday, traveling in a case lined with the same silk as its feathers and accompanied by the Master of the Atelier, who wound it on arrival and will wind it again before it leaves. It will be shown every evening this week, from six until nine, to visitors who have written ahead.

It is the first time the Owl has left the House. It is shown under the condition of its license, with its plaque, and with its certificate open beside it. The Salon is a short walk from the offices of the Turing Registry, several of whose staff have asked to visit and have been welcomed.

Moving the Owl took most of a month to arrange. The case was built to hold it at the angle it sits on its perch, so that no feather bears weight, and the Owl was let run down before the journey and wound again only when it had been in the Salon for a day and the room had settled to its temperature. A feather-setter traveled with it, and has had nothing to do.

On the first evening a visitor asked the attendant whether the Owl minded traveling. The attendant replied that it minds nothing, and that it had nonetheless turned its head toward the window for most of the afternoon.