The paper discusses an inspiring collection of androids; human-shaped mechanical dolls. The collection was started by Madeleine de Galea, wife and later widow of a 19th century French diplomat. A passionate collector, she took special interest in the times of Napoleon III and eventually accumulated a number of objects and furnishings from that era. She also collected tin soldiers, china dolls and automatons, which were quite stylish at the time. After Madame de Galea's death, her grandson donated the bulk of her collection to French museums, including Le Louvre, whereas dolls and automatons were given to Prince Rainier of Monaco and found a permanent home at Villa Sauber in 1972.