Engineering, Building, and Architecture - Overview
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.
"Engineering, Building, and Architecture - Overview" showing 28 items.
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ECOBRA 1611 Duplex Slide Rule
- Description
- This ten-inch aluminum linear duplex slide rule is coated with white enamel and has aluminum endpieces. One side of the base has scales for sin/cos, tg/ctg (tangent/cotangent), DF, D, and the square root of 1 – x2 (a Pythagorean or P scale). On the slide are CF, CI, and C scales. The right end of the slide is marked: ECO BRA (/) Nr. 1611. The lower right corner of the base is marked: System (/) DARMSTADT. On the other side, the base has K, A, LL3, LL2, and LL1 scales. The slide has B, lg, and C scales. The numbers on the C, LL3, LL2, and LL1 scales are green, which is unusual. The indicator is plastic with aluminum edges. The letter Q is on the hairline on one side. On the other side, Q is on the hairline and W and PS are on shorter hairlines at the top of the indicator. These hairlines are for circle conversion and peripheral horsepower conversion, respectively.
- The rule fits in a cardboard box covered with maroon synthetic leather. The top edge of the box is marked No. 1611. The front is marked with the Ecobra logo, and the back is marked MADE IN GERMANY.
- Alwin Walther (1898–1967) of the Technische Hochschule in Darmstadt, Germany, developed the Darmstadt system of scales in 1934. His arrangement was aimed particularly at engineers. ECOBRA or Eco Bra was a brand name of Bayerische Reisszeugfabrik, a Nuremberg maker of drawing instruments that was purchased by Joseph Dietzgen in 1909. The company began producing slide rules before World War II, and after the war, Eugene Dietzgen Company of Chicago distributed ECOBRA rules in the United States. Metal rules were more popular in the United States than they were in Europe.
- Reference: Dieter von Jezierski, Slide Rules: A Journey Through Three Centuries, trans. Rodger Shepherd (Mendham, N.J.: Astragal Press, 2000), 34–35, 52–53.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- after 1945
- maker
- Ecobra
- ID Number
- 1984.1071.04
- accession number
- 1984.1071
- catalog number
- 1984.1071.04
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
German Toy Steam Engine
- Description (Brief)
- This toy steam engine was made by an unknown German manufacturer during the early 20th century. The horizontal steam boiler powers a flywheel which is connected to a dynamo that can power the attached bulb. The boiler, flywheel, dynamo, and light bulb are all attached to the wooden base.
- 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
- early 20th century
- ID Number
- ER*328990
- accession number
- 278175
- catalog number
- 328990
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
German Toy Steam Engine
- Description (Brief)
- This toy steam engine was made by an unknown German company during the early 20th century. The toy consists of a horizontal boiler with chimney on a simulated brickwork firebox. The horizontal slide valve engine powers a flywheel with a centrifugal flyball governor. The boiler and engine are mounted on a cast iron plate.
- 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
- early 20th century
- ID Number
- MC*322908
- catalog number
- 322908
- accession number
- 220719
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
German Toy Steam Engine
- Description (Brief)
- This vertical toy steam engine was manufactured by an unknown German company during the early 20th century. The toy consists of a fire box, a vertical boiler with chimney, and a vertical engine attached to a flywheel all mounted on a cast iron base.
- 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
- early 20th century
- ID Number
- MC*322909
- catalog number
- 322909
- accession number
- 220719
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
German Toy Steam Engine
- Description (Brief)
- This horizontal toy steam engine was manufactured by an unknown German company during the early 20th century. The horizontal brass boiler with chimney sits on an iron metal firebox. The slide-valve engine is attached to a crankshaft and linked to a gearing that is connected to the flywheel. The engine has a decorative flyball governor.
- 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
- 20th century
- ID Number
- MC*322910
- catalog number
- 322910
- accession number
- 220719
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Märklin No. 5 Toy Steam Engine
- Description (Brief)
- 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.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1950
- ID Number
- MC*322911
- catalog number
- 322911
- accession number
- 220719
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Bing Toy Steam Traction Engine
- Description (Brief)
- This toy steam traction engine was manufactured by Bing Works of Nuremberg, Germany around 1918-1932. The traction engine consists of a black firebox below a boiler with a horizontal slide valve engine attached to a flywheel that is chained to the tractor’s rear wheel.
- The Gebrüder Bing (Bing Brothers) toy company was founded in Nuremburg, Germany by Adolf and Ignatz Bing in 1863 and operated until 1932. The company was renamed Bing Werke (Bing Works) in 1918 when Ignatz Bing died. While very successful from 1863 until 1912, World War I created an unfavorable export market for German products, and the hard post-war years caused additional financial hardships. The harsh political climate in Germany forced the Jewish Bing family to flee to England in 1932, and Bing’s assets were acquired by rival toy company Bub in 1933.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- early 20th century
- ID Number
- MC*328930
- catalog number
- 328930
- accession number
- 278175
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
German Steam Toy Traction Engine
- Description (Brief)
- This toy steam traction engine was manufactured by an unknown German maker during the early 20th century. The traction engine consists of a silver firebox below a boiler painted green. The steam powers a horizontal slide valve engine attached to a flywheel that is chained to the tractor’s rear wheel.
- 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.This traction engine achieves motion by a similar method of steam power.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- early 20th century
- ID Number
- MC*328931
- catalog number
- 328931
- accession number
- 278175
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
German Steam Toy Traction Engine
- Description (Brief)
- This toy steam traction engine was manufactured by an unknown German maker during the early 20th century. The traction engine consists of a black firebox below a boiler painted orange. The steam powers a horizontal slide valve engine attached to a flywheel that is chained to the tractor’s rear wheel.
- 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. This traction engine achieves motion by the same method.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- early 20th century
- ID Number
- MC*328932
- catalog number
- 328932
- accession number
- 278175
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Carette Toy Steam Engine
- Description (Brief)
- This toy steam engine does not bear a specific makers mark, but comparisons to other engines reveal similarities to a Carette engine model 108. The model 108 engine was made by Georges Carette of Nuremberg, Germany around 1900. The overtype engine has a horizontal slide valve engine and horizontal boiler over a black firebox.
- Carrette et Cie (Carrette and Company) was founded in Nuremberg, Germany by Georges Carette and operated from 1886-1917.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- mid or early 20th century
- ID Number
- MC*328934
- catalog number
- 328934
- accession number
- 278175
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center