Natural Resources

Bill, Boob McNutt, and Boob McNutt's Geography

Description

Camera-ready pen and ink drawings by Rube Goldberg for his comic series Bill, Boob McNutt, and Boob McNutt's Geography dated June 10, 1934. Goldberg drew for the Bill series between 1931 and 1934, for the Boob McNutt series between 1915 and 1934, and for the Boob McNutt's Geography series in 1934.

Bill tries to promote his product Thinneroo to overweight baseball players and inadvertently causes the batter's bat to become thinner and to break. Boob McNutt's Jelly Roll Bus Line takes passengers to what he thinks is Washington, D.C. Boob's Geography comic cell gives clues to the identity of a U.S. state.

Location

Currently not on view

Date made

June 10, 1934

publisher

Star Company

original artist

Goldberg, Rube

ID Number

2006.0226.41

catalog number

2006.0226.41

accession number

2006.0226

Data Source

National Museum of American History

Bill

Description

Camera-ready pen and ink drawings by Rube Goldberg for his two comic series Bill and Boob McNutt dated June 12, 1932. Goldberg drew for the Bill series between 1931 and 1934, and the Boob McNutt series between 1915 and 1934.

Bill and girlfriend Sally try to recover stolen jewels with the help of old Captain Jim. Boob and Mike and Ike are thought to have been killed while flying on the damaged dirigible.

Location

Currently not on view

Date made

June 12, 1932

original artist

Goldberg, Rube

publisher

Star Company

ID Number

GA.23496

accession number

1972.299186

catalog number

GA*23496

Data Source

National Museum of American History

Ship's Medicine Chest

Description

Starting in 1790, American merchant ships larger than 150 tons and with more than 10 crew members were required to have medicine chests with contents assembled by an “apothecary of known reputation.” These had to be accompanied by instructions for the administration of each medicine. Most commonly, either the captain or first mate administered pharmaceutical products to any crew in need.

This example has labels from the ports of Baltimore, Maryland; Mamaroneck, New York, and Halifax, Nova Scotia, indicating it was replenished more than once over its useful life.

Date made

19th Century

maker

Gray Telephone Pay Station Co.

ID Number

MG.302606.154

catalog number

302606.154

accession number

302606

Data Source

National Museum of American History

USS Alaska Scrimshaw Sperm Whale Tooth

Description

The wooden screw sloop of war USS Alaska was built in 1868 and spent much of her career in the southern Pacific and Far East representing the American nation in foreign ports. In June 1878, she cleared New York for San Francisco and stopped at several South American ports on the way.

One of Alaska's port calls from 20-29 September 1878 was to Talcahuano, in the center of Chile's coast and that nation's main naval port. It also was one the principal stops for American whalers in the Pacific seeking fresh supplies and entertainment. This massive sperm whale's tooth was probably purchased there and engraved by one of Alaska's crew to commemorate his visit. While the carver of this tooth is unknown, it may have been one of the officers who kept the official ship's logbooks, because the calligraphy on the covers of the logs for this voyage is exceptionally elaborate and colorful.

As this tooth indicates, the Talcahuano visit and liberty calls were memorable. Sent ashore on liberty, 54 of Alaska's crew went AWOL (Absent WithOut Leave), and three more were confined to double irons (feet and hand cuffs) for drunk and boisterous behavior or fighting.

Date made

1878

USS Alaska port call to Chile, Talcahuano

1878-09

ID Number

DL.374477

catalog number

374477

accession number

136263

Data Source

National Museum of American History

Environmental Button

Description

The group "Bike for a Better City" encouraged New York commuters and lawmakers to view bicycling as a means for everyday transportation. The organization, founded in 1970 by Barry Fishman and Harriet Green, called for the establishment of special bike lanes to make city biking safer.

Location

Currently not on view

maker

Fishman, Barry

ID Number

2003.0014.0051

catalog number

2003.0014.0051

accession number

2003.0014

Data Source

National Museum of American History

Campaign speeches are useful, at that

Description (Brief)

This pen-and-ink comic art drawing by Rube Goldberg from 1924 features the concept of using “windy” political speeches as free energy.

Rube Goldberg (1883-1970) was an engineer before he was a comic artist. After receiving an engineering degree, he started his career designing sewers for the City of San Francisco, but then followed his other interest and took a job as a sports cartoonist for the San Francisco Chronicle. After moving to New York in 1907 Goldberg worked for several newspapers, producing a number of short-lived strips and panels—many of which were inspired by his engineering background, including his renowned invention cartoons. In the late 1930s and 1940s he switched his focus to editorial and political cartoons and in 1945 founded the National Cartoonists Society. The Reuben, comic art’s most prestigious award, is named after him.

Location

Currently not on view

date made

1924-10-31

original artist

Goldberg, Rube

ID Number

GA.23492

catalog number

23492

accession number

299186

Data Source

National Museum of American History

Ship's Surgical Kit

Description (Brief)

This wooden surgical case with brass fittings has three main compartments, one of which is a tray that lifts out from the lower case. The interior of the case is molded so that each instrument has its own compartment. The entire interior is lined with purple velvet. The exterior of the lid has an oval escutcheon which is marked, "U.S.A./ Hosp. Dept." The set includes 45 instruments, three of which are not original to the set. At least six instruments are missing, including four knives and a bandage scissors.

During the Civil War the United States Army contracted with several surgical instrument makers, including Herman Hernstein to provide surgical sets for the Union troops.

As a young boy in Germany Hermann Hernstein was apprenticed to a surgical instrument maker. He came to the United States in 1841 and settled in New York City. Within a few years, he had established his own shop.

According to Edmonson much of Hernstein’s inventory was imported from Europe.

Description

Surgical kits were not required on merchant vessels, but the larger and better-equipped ships often carried them. These were used for everything from pulling teeth to the amputation of limbs, and everything in between. Like the medicine chests, these kits too were often sold with simple pamphlets, with instructions and diagrams on how to use them in emergencies. The captain or first mate most commonly carried out any needed procedures.

date made

1862-1865

maker

Hermann Hernstein & Son

ID Number

1977.1103.01

accession number

1977.1103

catalog number

1977.1103.01

Data Source

National Museum of American History

Lithograph of "Cascades of the Columbia"

Description

The lithographic firm of Sarony, Major & Knapp (1857–1867) of New York printed this lithograph of “Cascades of the Columbia” originally drawn by John M. Stanley (1814–1872) of Detroit (1834–1840, 1864–1872) and Washington, D.C. (1850–1860). The illustration was printed as Plate XLV in the “General Report” of volume XII of Reports of Explorations and Surveys, to ascertain the most practicable and economical route for a railroad from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean, “Narrative Final Report of Explorations for a Route for a Pacific Railroad, near the Forty–Seventh and Forty–Ninth Parallels of North Latitude, St. Paul to Puget Sound”. The volume was printed in 1860 by Thomas H. Ford in Washington, D.C.

Location

Currently not on view

date of book publication

1860

graphic artist

Sarony, Major, & Knapp

original artist

Stanley, John Mix

graphic artist

Sarony, Major, & Knapp

original artist

Stanley, John Mix

author

Stevens, Isaac Ingalls

printer

Ford, Thomas H.

graphic artist

Sarony, Major, & Knapp

publisher

U.S. War Department

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Topographic Command

ID Number

GA.24834

catalog number

24834

accession number

1978.0612

Data Source

National Museum of American History

Whale Hoist Patent Model

Description

After some species of whales were killed, their carcasses sank. Other species, like the right whale, floated. A whale that sank represented a major loss to the whaleship crews, who had risked their lives to capture the creatures.

To prevent this sort of loss and maximize a whaleship’s efficiency, Thomas Roys of the whaling port of Southampton, on Long Island, N.Y., patented an apparatus for “Raising Dead Whales From the Bottom of the Sea.” There is little evidence that many American whalers tried the device or that it found widespread use in the industry.

Date made

1862

patentee

Roys, Thomas W.

ID Number

AG.332326

catalog number

332326

accession number

94380

patent number

35476

Data Source

National Museum of American History