John Fitch's Model Steam Car
date: label: date made
content: Early 20th Century
notes: label: Description (Brief)
content: This steam engine is a model based on designs by John Fitch that was made by Greville Bathe during the early 20th century. Greville Bathe was a machinist and steam engine hobbyist who would fashion his own parts to complete toy steam engines and models. John Fitch (1743-1798) was an inventor who developed the first successful American steamboat in 1787 and held patents and designs relating to other modes of steam transport. The steam car model consists of a horizontal boiler and vertical engine that is mounted on a wooden carriage with metal wheels. The engine’s drive wheel is chained to the back wheel of the car, providing it with a means of locomotion.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: Associated Place
content: United States: Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
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
publisher: label: Related Publication
content: Maass, Eleanor A.. Greville Bathe's "Theatre of Machines": The Evolution of a Scholar and His Collection
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Bequest of the Estate of Greville I. Bathe
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: MC.329092
label: catalog number
content: 329092
label: accession number
content: 278175
objectType: label: Object Name
content: steam car, model
label: Object Name
content: model, steam car
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: metal, wood (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall-from catalog card: 20 in x 15 in x 13 in; 50.8 cm x 38.1 cm x 33.02 cm
label: Measurements
content: overall: 26 3/8 in x 16 1/4 in x 12 in; 66.9925 cm x 41.275 cm x 30.48 cm