This Märklin No. 5 toy steam engine was built by the Märklin Manufacturing Company of Göppingen, Germany during the early 20th century. This toy steam engine consists of an externally fired horizontal brass boiler on top of a simulated brick firebox and chimney. The horizontal slide valve cylinder engine drives a flywheel with slip-eccentric reversing gear. The boiler and engine are mounted on a tinplate base.
The Märklin Company was established in 1859 in the town of Göppingen, Germany by tin smith Theodor Friedrich Wilhelm Märklin. Märklin began his business with the production of tin doll houses, but the company soon began producing a variety of tinplate and metal items, eventually specializing in toys that included steam engines such as this one.
Our collection database is a work in progress. We may update this record based on further research and review. Learn more about our approach to sharing our collection online.
If you would like to know how you can use content on this page, see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use. If you need to request an image for publication or other use, please visit Rights and Reproductions.