Object Details
- Description (Brief)
- The Weeden Manufacturing Company of New Bedford, Massachusetts produced this toy engine with sawmill during the early 20th century. The toy consists of a black fire box below an upright brass boiler with sight glass and a vertical engine connected to a flywheel. The drive wheel is connected by a string to a pulley on the sawmill that moves a log carriage to simulate the sawmill’s operation.
- 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
- Credit Line
- Bequest of the Estate of Greville I. Bathe
- early 20th century
- ID Number
- MC.329062
- catalog number
- 329062
- accession number
- 278175
- Object Name
- toy, steam engine and boiler
- steam engine and boiler, sawmill, toy
- Physical Description
- wood, metal, string (overall material)
- Measurements
- boiler-from catalog card: 10 in; 25.4 cm
- base-from catalog card: 16 1/2 in x 10 in; x 41.91 cm x 25.4 cm
- overall: 11 3/4 in x 16 1/2 in x 9 3/4 in; 29.845 cm x 41.91 cm x 24.765 cm
- overall: 7 1/2 in x 14 in x 6 in; 19.05 cm x 35.56 cm x 15.24 cm
- place made
- United States: Massachusetts
- Related Publication
- Maass, Eleanor A.. Greville Bathe's "Theatre of Machines": The Evolution of a Scholar and His Collection
- See more items in
- Work and Industry: Mechanical and Civil Engineering
- Family & Social Life
- Engineering, Building, and Architecture
- Engineering Steam Toys and Models
- National Museum of American History
- Record ID
- nmah_847042
- GUID (Link to Original Record)
- https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746a6-8f66-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa
