German Toy Steam Engine
date: label: date made
content: early 20th century
notes: label: Description (Brief)
content: 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.
label: Description (Brief)
content: 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.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: Germany
label: place made
content: Germany
setName: label: See more items in
content: Work and Industry: Mechanical and Civil Engineering
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content: Family & Social Life
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content: Engineering, Building, and Architecture
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content: Engineering Steam Toys and Models
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of Mr. August Mencken
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: MC.322909
label: catalog number
content: 322909
label: accession number
content: 220719
objectType: label: Object Name
content: toy, steam engine and boiler
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: brass (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: cast iron (base material)
label: Physical Description
content: chrome plated (fittings material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 12 7/8 in x 4 3/4 in x 5 1/2 in; 32.7025 cm x 12.065 cm x 13.97 cm
label: Measurements
content: vertical brass boiler - from catalog card: 2 1/2 in; x 6.35 cm
label: Measurements
content: base - from catalog card: 13 in x 4 in x 4 in; 33.02 cm x 10.16 cm x 10.16 cm
label: Measurements
content: wheel - from catalog card: 2 1/2 in; x 6.35 cm