Engineering, Building, and Architecture

Engine Room From Coast Guard Buoy Tender Oak

Not many museums collect houses. The National Museum of American History has four, as well as two outbuildings, 11 rooms, an elevator, many building components, and some architectural elements from the White House. Drafting manuals are supplemented by many prints of buildings and other architectural subjects. The breadth of the museum's collections adds some surprising objects to these holdings, such as fans, purses, handkerchiefs, T-shirts, and other objects bearing images of buildings.

The engineering artifacts document the history of civil and mechanical engineering in the United States. So far, the Museum has declined to collect dams, skyscrapers, and bridges, but these and other important engineering achievements are preserved through blueprints, drawings, models, photographs, sketches, paintings, technical reports, and field notes.

Date: 1900s

Weeden No. 106 Toy Electric Motor

The Weeden no. 102 electric generator was produced by the Weeden Manufacturing Company of New Bedford, Massachusetts from 1913 until 1918. This was an earlier version of the model No. 102, as evidenced by the wooden base plate attached to the cast iron base.
Description (Brief)
The Weeden no. 102 electric generator was produced by the Weeden Manufacturing Company of New Bedford, Massachusetts from 1913 until 1918. This was an earlier version of the model No. 102, as evidenced by the wooden base plate attached to the cast iron base. It is an electromagnetic generator, producing a direct electric current through the rotation of a wire coil in a magnetic field. The generator could be connected to the flywheel of a Weeden steam engine, rotating the center coil, turning mechanical power into electricity.
The Weeden Manufacturing Company was founded in New Bedford, Massachusetts by William M. Weeden in the early 1880s, originally producing a variety of tinplate household items. In 1884 it introduced the Weeden No. 1 Steam engine as “a new and great premium for boys” who were subscribers to the Youth’s Companion magazine. Weeden made over a hundred different models of toy steam engines until the company ceased operations in 1952.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1900
ID Number
MC.322914
catalog number
322914
accession number
220719

Robertson-Thompson Steam Engine Indicator - ca 1900

An engine indicator is an instrument for graphically recording the pressure versus piston displacement through an engine stroke cycle. Engineers use the resulting diagram to check the design and performance of the engine. The James L.
Description
An engine indicator is an instrument for graphically recording the pressure versus piston displacement through an engine stroke cycle. Engineers use the resulting diagram to check the design and performance of the engine. The James L. Robertson & Sons of New York, NY, manufactured this steam indicator about 1900. The indicator is based on a design patented by Joseph W. Thompson which made improvements in the mechanisms driving the recording stylus thus allowing improved measurements of higher speed steam engines. The design also includes elements from another patent by Alpheus O. Lippincott and assigned to Robertson. It dealt with the reduction wheel mechanism below the recording drum. The reduction mechanism allowed for measuring engines with a variety of piston throw lengths.
This indicator set contains within the mahogany box the indicator itself; extra springs of varying stiffness for different steam pressures; a reducing wheel to decrease the piston motion to that required by the indicator drum; sized wooden pulleys for different piston stroke lengths; an extra indicator piston of small diameter for very high pressures; a planimeter for measuring the area of the diagram; servicing tools; and extra blanks. The piston causes the stylus to rise and fall with pressure changes in the engine under measurement thereby directly recording the indicator’s output on the paper. Around the drum’s base is wound a cord that is attached to the connecting rod of the piston on the steam engine being measured. This causes the drum to rotate as the engine’s piston moves. An internal coil spring causes the cord to retract and the drum to counter rotate back to its original position as the connecting rod returns. The result is a steam pressure-volume diagram which is used to measure the efficiency and other attributes of the steam engine.
The introduction of the steam indicator in the late 1790s and early 1800s by James Watt and others had a great impact on the understanding of how the steam behaved inside the engine's cylinder and thereby enabled much more exacting and sophisticated designs. The devices also changed how the economics and efficiency of steam engines were portrayed and marketed. They helped the prospective owner of a machine better understand how much his fuel costs would be for a given amount of work performed.
Measurement of fuel consumed and work delivered by the engine was begun by Watt, who in part justified the selling price of his engines on the amount of fuel cost the purchaser might save compared to an alternate engine. In the early days of steam power, the method to compare engine performance was based on a concept termed the engine’s “duty”. It originally was calculated as the number of pounds of water raised one foot high per one bushel of coal consumed. The duty method was open to criticism due to its inability to take into consideration finer points of efficiency in real world applications of engines. Accurate determination of fuel used in relation to work performed has been fundamental to the design and improvement of all steam-driven prime movers ever since Watt’s time. And, the steam indicators’ key contribution was the accurate measurements of performance while the engine was actually doing the work it was designed to do. This Robertson-Thompson steam indicator represented over one hundred years of evolution and improvement of the devices. Its ability to make recordings for a wide range of engine speeds, pressures and piston stroke lengths was a significant improvement for many applications.
date made
ca 1900
ID Number
MC.315914
catalog number
315914
accession number
222962

Weeden No. 101 Electric Motor

The Weeden no. 101 electric generator was produced by the Weeden Manufacturing Company of New Bedford, Massachusetts from 1912 until 1918. The toy is an electromagnetic generator, producing a direct electric current through the rotation of a wire coil in a magnetic field.
Description (Brief)
The Weeden no. 101 electric generator was produced by the Weeden Manufacturing Company of New Bedford, Massachusetts from 1912 until 1918. The toy is an electromagnetic generator, producing a direct electric current through the rotation of a wire coil in a magnetic field. The center axel of the generator could be connected to the flywheel of a Weeden steam engine, rotating the center coil, turning mechanical power into electricity.
The Weeden Manufacturing Company was founded in New Bedford, Massachusetts by William M. Weeden in the early 1880s, originally producing a variety of tinplate household items. In 1884 it introduced the Weeden No. 1 Steam engine as “a new and great premium for boys” who were subscribers to the Youth’s Companion magazine. Weeden made over a hundred different models of toy steam engines until the company ceased operations in 1952.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1900
ID Number
MC.329036
catalog number
329036
accession number
278175

Ernst Plank Hot-Air Engine Toy

The Ernst Plank Company of Nuremberg, Germany manufactured this hot air engine around 1900. The engine is not a steam engine, as no water is heated. Instead the firebox heats air which expands and moves a piston to create useful mechanical work.
Description (Brief)
The Ernst Plank Company of Nuremberg, Germany manufactured this hot air engine around 1900. The engine is not a steam engine, as no water is heated. Instead the firebox heats air which expands and moves a piston to create useful mechanical work. The toy consists of a fire box to hear the air, with a piston powering a flywheel that is connected to a line shaft with three pulleys. The engine is very similar to the kind that ran the Praxinoscope toy made by Plank during the early 20th century.
Ernst Plank founded his company in Nuremburg, Germany in 1866. The company was well known for manufacturing a variety of metal toys like steam locomotives, stationary steam engines, early photography equipment, and magic lanterns until its dissolution in 1935.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1900
ID Number
MC.329055
catalog number
329055
accession number
278175

Desmond Injector, Patent Model

This model was submitted to the U.S. Patent Office with the application for the patent issued to John Desmond, of Cincinnati, Ohio, October 8, 1901, no.
Description
This model was submitted to the U.S. Patent Office with the application for the patent issued to John Desmond, of Cincinnati, Ohio, October 8, 1901, no. 683914; assigned to the Lunkenheimer Co.
Features of this injector are the construction of the starting lever, which with one motion operates both the steam and overflow valves and also permits the overflow valve to close independently of the lever; a removable ring of resistant metal inserted in the combining tube at its smallest diameter to receive the corroding action of the jet at that point; and an arrangement of steam and water passages designed to prevent the raising of the temperature of the feed water to such a temperature as to deposit scale within the tubes of the injector.
Reference:
This description comes from the 1939 Catalog of the Mechanical Collections of the Division of Engineering United States Museum Bulletin 173 by Frank A. Taylor.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1901
patent date
1901-10-08
inventor
Desmond, John
ID Number
MC.309190
catalog number
309190
accession number
89797
patent number
683,914

Ernst Plank Duplex Toy Steam Engine

This toy steam engine was manufactured by the Ernst Plank Company of Nuremburg, Germany during the early 20th century.
Description (Brief)
This toy steam engine was manufactured by the Ernst Plank Company of Nuremburg, Germany during the early 20th century. The toy consists of dual horizontal boilers driving dual vertical oscillating engines that are connected to a single shaft moving two flywheels.
Ernst Plank founded his company in Nuremburg, Germany in 1866. The company was well known for manufacturing a variety of metal toys like steam locomotives, stationary steam engines, early photography equipment, and magic lanterns until its dissolution in 1935.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1900
ID Number
MC.329010
catalog number
329010
accession number
278175

Toy Electric Motor and Lineshaft

This toy electric motor or generator was made by an unknown maker around 1908. There is a commutator and flywheel at the base that attaches to line shaft with three pulleys at the top.
Description (Brief)
This toy electric motor or generator was made by an unknown maker around 1908. There is a commutator and flywheel at the base that attaches to line shaft with three pulleys at the top. An engine could be attached to the drive shaft of the toy, rotating the center wheel in a magnetic field, producing an electric current.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1908
ID Number
MC.329037
catalog number
329037
accession number
278175

Weeden Toy Steam Engine

This toy steam engine was manufactured by the Weeden Manufacturing Company of New Bedford, Massachusetts during the early 20th century. This vertical engine has a tin firebox, brass boiler, and vertical slide valve engine.
Description (Brief)
This toy steam engine was manufactured by the Weeden Manufacturing Company of New Bedford, Massachusetts during the early 20th century. This vertical engine has a tin firebox, brass boiler, and vertical slide valve engine. The upper stack is homemade and was added to the original Weeden model at a later date.
The Weeden Manufacturing Company was founded in New Bedford, Massachusetts by William M. Weeden in the early 1880s, originally producing a variety of tinplate household items. In 1884 it introduced the Weeden No. 1 Steam engine as “a new and great premium for boys” who were subscribers to the Youth’s Companion magazine. Weeden made over a hundred different models of toy steam engines until the company ceased operations in 1952.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
late 19th century
ID Number
MC.328946
catalog number
328946
accession number
278175

Weeden No. 12 Toy Steam Engine

The Weeden Manufacturing Company of New Bedford, Massachusetts manufactured the Weeden model number 12 toy steam engine from 1890 until 1906. This toy steam engine features dual horizontal boilers and dual horizontal slide valve engines connected to a single flywheel.
Description (Brief)
The Weeden Manufacturing Company of New Bedford, Massachusetts manufactured the Weeden model number 12 toy steam engine from 1890 until 1906. This toy steam engine features dual horizontal boilers and dual horizontal slide valve engines connected to a single flywheel. The dual engines are offset so one engine is pushing the flywheel at each time. A simulated brickwork metal firebox surrounds the two boilers, and the metal housing around the flywheel is made to look like brickwork as well. The entire engine is mounted on a metal plate.
The Weeden Manufacturing Company was founded in New Bedford, Massachusetts by William M. Weeden in the early 1880s, originally producing a variety of tinplate household items. In 1884 it introduced the Weeden No. 1 Steam engine as “a new and great premium for boys” who were subscribers to the Youth’s Companion magazine. Weeden made over a hundred different models of toy steam engines until the company ceased operations in 1952.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
late 19th century
ID Number
MC.328958
catalog number
328958
accession number
278175

Weeden No.20 Toy Steam Engine “Big Giant”

This toy steam engine is a Weeden model number 20, manufactured from around 1894 until 1940. The boiler is stamped with “Big Giant,” which is the version that was included as a prize to subscribers of Youth’s Companion magazine.
Description (Brief)
This toy steam engine is a Weeden model number 20, manufactured from around 1894 until 1940. The boiler is stamped with “Big Giant,” which is the version that was included as a prize to subscribers of Youth’s Companion magazine. The brass base of the engine is a fuel reservoir with protruding wick, and was made to burn either petroleum oil (kerosene) or alcohol. The brass boiler comes with a sight glass, and powers a vertical slide valve engine attached to a flywheel.
The Weeden Manufacturing Company was founded in New Bedford, Massachusetts by William M. Weeden in the early 1880s, originally producing a variety of tinplate household items. In 1884 it introduced the Weeden No. 1 Steam engine as “a new and great premium for boys” who were subscribers to the Youth’s Companion magazine. Weeden made over a hundred different models of toy steam engines until the company ceased operations in 1952.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1900
ID Number
MC.328947
catalog number
328947
accession number
278175

H-K Toy Electric Motor

This toy electric motor was made by the H-K Electric Toy Company of Indianapolis, Indiana around 1906. The patents on this object refer to an electric toy that recreates mechanical motion.
Description (Brief)
This toy electric motor was made by the H-K Electric Toy Company of Indianapolis, Indiana around 1906. The patents on this object refer to an electric toy that recreates mechanical motion. A dry cell battery could fit in the center of the toy, energizing the electromagnets on the side, contracting its three lever-arms. When this contraction happens, the shaft rotates, and the protruding part of the shaft comes into contact with the metal prong causing the circuit that powered the electromagnet to break. This releases the lever-arms, which rotates the shaft as they rise, re-engaging the electromagnets and continuing the cycle. The weighted flywheel and staggered strength of the levers helped ensure that the drive shaft continued to rotate. The drive shaft could be connected to a variety of factory toys and provide them with a sense of realistic motion like their full size counterparts.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1906
ID Number
MC.329034
catalog number
329034
accession number
278175

Weeden No. 7 Toy Steam Engine

The Weeden Manufacturing Company of New Bedford, Massachusetts produced the Weeden No. 7 toy steam engine from 1890 until 1907. The Weeden No. 7 is features a horizontal boiler over a simulated brickwork firebox.
Description (Brief)
The Weeden Manufacturing Company of New Bedford, Massachusetts produced the Weeden No. 7 toy steam engine from 1890 until 1907. The Weeden No. 7 is features a horizontal boiler over a simulated brickwork firebox. The firebox holds a distinctive burner that has a small spouted fuel container with a fuel line that runs down to two wick holders. The horizontal engine is attached to a flywheel.
The Weeden Manufacturing Company was founded in New Bedford, Massachusetts by William M. Weeden in the early 1880s, originally producing a variety of tinplate household items. In 1884 it introduced the Weeden No. 1 Steam engine as “a new and great premium for boys” who were subscribers to the Youth’s Companion magazine. Weeden made over a hundred different models of toy steam engines until the company ceased operations in 1952.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
late 19th century
ID Number
MC.328957
catalog number
328957
accession number
278175

Weeden No.20 Toy Steam Engine

This toy steam engine is a Weeden model number 20, manufactured by the Weeden Manufacturing Company of New Bedford, Massachusetts from around 1894 until 1940.
Description (Brief)
This toy steam engine is a Weeden model number 20, manufactured by the Weeden Manufacturing Company of New Bedford, Massachusetts from around 1894 until 1940. The brass base of the engine is a fuel reservoir with protruding wick, and was made to burn either petroleum oil (kerosene) or alcohol. The brass boiler comes with a sight glass, and powers a vertical slide valve engine attached to a flywheel. This is the same model as object number MC*328947, except it lacks the “Big Giant” stamp on its boiler since it was not one of the engines included as a prize for subscribing to the Youth’s Companion magazine.
The Weeden Manufacturing Company was founded in New Bedford, Massachusetts by William M. Weeden in the early 1880s, originally producing a variety of tinplate household items. In 1884 it introduced the Weeden No. 1 Steam engine as “a new and great premium for boys” who were subscribers to the Youth’s Companion magazine. Weeden made over a hundred different models of toy steam engines until the company ceased operations in 1952.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1900
ID Number
MC.328949
catalog number
328949
accession number
278175

Paradox Toy Gas Engine

This Paradox gas engine was made by the Pardox Gas Engine Company of Hartford, Connecticut around 1900-1930. The engine ran on a mixture of “illumination gas,” an early gas used to light homes that was generated from coal.
Description (Brief)
This Paradox gas engine was made by the Pardox Gas Engine Company of Hartford, Connecticut around 1900-1930. The engine ran on a mixture of “illumination gas,” an early gas used to light homes that was generated from coal. The engine was attached to an ordinary gas burner by a rubber tube, and advertising described it as “running with an explosion at each revolution.” The engine has two 3.5-inch flywheels, and the base bears the inscription “PAT. NOV. 20 1900.” G.J. Altham & J. Beattie Jr. of Fall River, Massachusetts received patent number 662,181 for this invention that related to “a simple and efficient valveless engine adapted for use in small size as a toy.”
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1900
ID Number
MC.329045
catalog number
329045
accession number
278175

Weeden No. 34 Toy Steam Engine

The Weeden Model No. 34 toy steam engine was produced by the Weeden Manufacturing Company of New Bedford, Massachusetts from 1896 until 1940. This toy steam engine features a brass boiler with star cutout that is painted blue.
Description (Brief)
The Weeden Model No. 34 toy steam engine was produced by the Weeden Manufacturing Company of New Bedford, Massachusetts from 1896 until 1940. This toy steam engine features a brass boiler with star cutout that is painted blue. The horizontal boiler, flywheel, and engine sit on an iron frame.
The Weeden Manufacturing Company was founded in New Bedford, Massachusetts by William M. Weeden in the early 1880s, originally producing a variety of tinplate household items. In 1884 it introduced the Weeden No. 1 Steam engine as “a new and great premium for boys” who were subscribers to the Youth’s Companion magazine. Weeden made over a hundred different models of toy steam engines until the company ceased operations in 1952.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
late 19th century
ID Number
MC.322912
catalog number
322912
accession number
220719

Peerless Toy Steam Engine

This Peerless brand toy steam engines was manufactured around 1900. The overtype engine consists of a horizontal boiler with sight glass and lever safety valve. A slide valve engine powers a flywheel on top of the boiler. The engine sits on an iron frame.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
This Peerless brand toy steam engines was manufactured around 1900. The overtype engine consists of a horizontal boiler with sight glass and lever safety valve. A slide valve engine powers a flywheel on top of the boiler. The engine sits on an iron frame.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1900
ID Number
MC.329001
catalog number
329001
accession number
278175

Weeden Toy Cornish Beam Engine

The Weeden Manufacturing Company of New Bedford, Massachusetts produced this “Cornish Beam Engine” from 1888 until 1894. The engine consisted of a firebox and boiler contained in a cube, with a slide valve, walking beam engine, and flywheel on the top of the engine.
Description (Brief)
The Weeden Manufacturing Company of New Bedford, Massachusetts produced this “Cornish Beam Engine” from 1888 until 1894. The engine consisted of a firebox and boiler contained in a cube, with a slide valve, walking beam engine, and flywheel on the top of the engine. The stanchion of the walking beam bears the Weeden crest logo that reads “W MFG. CO.”
The Weeden Manufacturing Company was founded in New Bedford, Massachusetts by William M. Weeden in the early 1880s, originally producing a variety of tinplate household items. In 1884 it introduced the Weeden No. 1 Steam engine as “a new and great premium for boys” who were subscribers to the Youth’s Companion magazine. Weeden made over a hundred different models of toy steam engines until the company ceased operations in 1952.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
late 19th century
ID Number
MC.328956
catalog number
328956
accession number
278175

Ernst Plank Toy Steam Engine

This toy steam engine was built by the Ernst Plank Company of Nuremburg, Germany, during the late 19th or early 20th century.
Description (Brief)
This toy steam engine was built by the Ernst Plank Company of Nuremburg, Germany, during the late 19th or early 20th century. The toy consists of a black firebox below a horizontal boiler that powers a horizontal slide valve engine that is connected to two flywheels.
Live steam toys enjoyed a period of popularity from the 1880s until the 1930s. The miniature steam engines were marketed as both toys and instructive devices that mimicked full-scale steam-powered machines and allowed every boy and girl to be their own engineer. In toy steam engines, a heating source is introduced into the firebox below the boiler (early toys used lit wicks fueled by denatured alcohol, later toys used electricity) which heated the water to produce the steam pressure that ran the engine. A variety of accessories could be powered by the engine; attachments included windmills, pumps, grinders, and electric lights.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1900
ID Number
MC.329005
catalog number
329005
accession number
278175

Toy Electric Motor

This electric motor is possibly a Weeden No. 117 motor that was manufactured by the Weeden Manufacturing Company of New Bedford, Massachusetts from around 1916 until 1918.
Description (Brief)
This electric motor is possibly a Weeden No. 117 motor that was manufactured by the Weeden Manufacturing Company of New Bedford, Massachusetts from around 1916 until 1918. The motor turns the drive wheel, which could be attached to a line shaft with pulleys to power a variety of machine shop toy accessories.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1900
.'1900
ID Number
MC.329038
catalog number
329038
accession number
278175

Weeden Toy Power-pump

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1900
ID Number
MC.329067
catalog number
329067
accession number
278175

Weeden No. 102 Toy Electric Motor

The Weeden no. 102 electric generator was produced by the Weeden Manufacturing Company of New Bedford, Massachusetts from 1913 until 1918. This was an earlier version of the model No. 102, as evidenced by the wooden base plate attached to the cast iron base.
Description (Brief)
The Weeden no. 102 electric generator was produced by the Weeden Manufacturing Company of New Bedford, Massachusetts from 1913 until 1918. This was an earlier version of the model No. 102, as evidenced by the wooden base plate attached to the cast iron base. It is an electromagnetic generator, producing a direct electric current through the rotation of a wire coil in a magnetic field. The generator could be connected to the flywheel of a Weeden steam engine, rotating the center coil, turning mechanical power into electricity.
The Weeden Manufacturing Company was founded in New Bedford, Massachusetts by William M. Weeden in the early 1880s, originally producing a variety of tinplate household items. In 1884 it introduced the Weeden No. 1 Steam engine as “a new and great premium for boys” who were subscribers to the Youth’s Companion magazine. Weeden made over a hundred different models of toy steam engines until the company ceased operations in 1952.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1900
ID Number
MC.322913
catalog number
322913
accession number
220719

Weeden No. 138 Toy Steam Engine

The Weeden Manufacturing Company of New Bedford, Massachusetts, manufactured the Weeden No. 138 toy steam engine from 1915 until 1933. This Weeden no.
Description (Brief)
The Weeden Manufacturing Company of New Bedford, Massachusetts, manufactured the Weeden No. 138 toy steam engine from 1915 until 1933. This Weeden no. 138 engine consists of a vertical steel boiler and walking beam engine mounted on grey wood, all on a steel base.
The Weeden Manufacturing Company was founded in New Bedford, Massachusetts by William M. Weeden in the early 1880s, originally producing a variety of tinplate household items. In 1884 it introduced the Weeden No. 1 Steam engine as “a new and great premium for boys” who were subscribers to the Youth’s Companion magazine. Weeden made over a hundred different models of toy steam engines until the company ceased operations in 1952.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1900
ID Number
MC.328951
catalog number
328951
accession number
278175

Crosby Steam Gauge – ca 1908

This steam gauge was made by the Crosby Steam and Gage & Valve Company of Boston, Massachusetts around 1908. It is 8 ½ inches in diameter and nickel plated.
Description
This steam gauge was made by the Crosby Steam and Gage & Valve Company of Boston, Massachusetts around 1908. It is 8 ½ inches in diameter and nickel plated. The gauge was a gift of the Quincy Mining Company of Hancock, Michigan.
For pressures of less than about one atmosphere (15 pounds per square inch), simple mercury columns were adequate as indicators. With the use of high pressure engines and boilers many types of gauges were introduced. In all of these the pressure of the steam acted against a spring loaded piston or diaphragm to move a pointer.
This is a Bourdon type gauge. This type, one of the first truly successful gauges, was invented in 1849 by Eugene Bourdon of France, a curved tube, elliptical in cross section, was used. When pressurized, the ellipse tended to become more circular, causing a slight straightening of the tube exactly proportional to the pressure. The free end of the tube was linked to the indicating pointer. Bourdon gauges remained in widespread use well into the 20th century.
date made
ca 1908
ID Number
MC.319574
catalog number
319574
accession number
244877
serial number
698575

Toy Steam Engine

This toy steam engine consists of a vertical boiler and horizontal slide valve engine. The museum’s catalogue records indicate that the toy was manufactured in the late 19th century, possibly by the J.E.
Description (Brief)
This toy steam engine consists of a vertical boiler and horizontal slide valve engine. The museum’s catalogue records indicate that the toy was manufactured in the late 19th century, possibly by the J.E. Stevens Manufacturing Company or the Buckman Manufacturing Company, but no manufacturing marks can be seen on the object.
Live steam toys enjoyed a period of popularity from the 1880s until the 1930s. The miniature steam engines were marketed as both toys and instructive devices that mimicked full-scale steam-powered machines and allowed every boy and girl to be their own engineer. In toy steam engines, a heating source is introduced into the firebox below the boiler (early toys used lit wicks fueled by denatured alcohol, later toys used electricity) which heated the water to produce the steam pressure that ran the engine. A variety of accessories could be powered by the engine; attachments included windmills, pumps, grinders, and electric lights.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
late 19th century
ID Number
MC.328981
catalog number
328981
accession number
278175

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