Contraption Collection

Illustration from the childrens book The Adventures of Uncle Lubin, 1902. Artist: W Heath Robinson
Illustration from the childrens book The Adventures of Uncle Lubin, 1902. From a private collection

The International Exhibition: Crosskill's Bell's reaping-machine, 1862. Creator: Unknown
The International Exhibition: Crosskill's Bell's reaping-machine, 1862. '...Prize Corn-mowing Machine of the trustees of W

The International Exhibition: Swiss jacquard-loom for weaving ribbons..., 1862. Creator: Unknown
The International Exhibition: Swiss jacquard-loom for weaving ribbons - from a photograph by the London Stereoscopic Company, 1862

Professor Hasner's automatic eyeball, 1862. Creator: Unknown
Professor Hasner's automatic eyeball, 1862. '...mechanical model of the eye,...made chiefly for the purpose of demonstrating the complicated

Electro-ballistic apparatus for measuring the speed of cannon-shot, 1864. Creator: Unknown
Electro-ballistic apparatus for measuring the speed of cannon-shot, 1864. Apparatus invented by Major Navez, of the Belgian Artillery

Captain Urquhart experimenting with his Life-Preserving Raft on the Thames, 1858. Creator: Unknown
Captain Urquhart experimenting with his Life-Preserving Raft on the Thames, [in London] 1858. A craft, attracting attention by its singular appearance

Camel Jingalls, 1858. Creator: Unknown
Camel Jingalls, 1858. Small brass cannon, mounted on camels...have been long used in the native armies of India...although almost useless when opposed to the means and appliances of modern warfare

Hellard's Patent Victoria Side-Delivery Reaping and Mowing Machine, 1860. Creator: Unknown
Hellard's Patent Victoria Side-Delivery Reaping and Mowing Machine, 1860. Cutting the corn [ie wheat] when it is ripe is one of the most important operations of harvest...the improvements [Mr

The Kew Photoheliograph and Temporary Observatory at Rivabellosa, near Miranda del Ebro, 1860. Creator: Unknown
The Kew Photoheliograph and Temporary Observatory at Rivabellosa, near Miranda del Ebro, [Spain], 1860. The Kew photoheliograph consists of a tube having the form of a truncated pyramid

The "Swan" of the Exe, 1860. Creator: Unknown. The "Swan" of the Exe, 1860. Creator: Unknown
The "Swan" of the Exe, 1860....an elegant yacht, the very similitude of a gigantic white swan...constructed from drawings and sections by the owner

Locomotive Steam-carriage for common roads, built for the Earl of Caithness, 1860. Creator: Unknown
Locomotive Steam-carriage for common roads, built for the Earl of Caithness, 1860....a steam-carriage...with which his Lordship, accompanied by Lady Caithness, the Rev, W. Ross, and Mr

Christmas Holidays at the Polytechnic: the Electric Machine - drawn by H. G. Hine, 1858. Creator: M. Jackson
Christmas Holidays at the Polytechnic: the Electric Machine - drawn by H. G. Hine, 1858. You must see the children, too, at the Polytechnic - as our Artist has seen them - if you would fully

Sketches in India - Slinging Letter-bags across a Nullah in the Rainy Season, 1858. Creator: Unknown
Sketches in India - Slinging Letter-bags across a Nullah in the Rainy Season, 1858....the contrivance in use...when the streams

Curious musical instruments of the sixteenth century, 1860. Creator: Unknown
Curious musical instruments of the sixteenth century, 1860. An an elaborate but nameless instrument of the Elizabethan era designed by goldsmith Randolph Bull

Sabots elastiques, an apparatus for walking on water, 1860. Creator: Unknown
Sabots elastiques, an apparatus for walking on water, 1860. Engraving from the Manuscript department of the British Museum...accompanied by a brief specification, without date

The Show-man, 1799. Creator: Monogrammist J.A
The Show-man, 1799. Keep your eye close to the Glass - and you will see a large / vide place full of Death and Destruction - where more / plagues await de frequenters den contained in de famous Box

A Swinging Festival in India, 1857. Creator: Unknown
A Swinging Festival in India, 1857....the infatuated native who was to be swung came in, amid the beating of Indian drums and the shouts of the people

A Roman street scene; Two Italian women with their children, 1833. Creator: Albert Kuchler
A Roman street scene; Two Italian women with their children, 1833

Archimède démontrant aux ingènieurs anglais... 19th century. Creator: Honore Daumier
Archimede demontrant aux ingenieurs anglais... 19th century. Archimedes showing the English engineers how, in Syracuse, he raised not just one vessel but an entire fleet

The New Long Back'd Hobby made to carry Three without Kicking, published June 19, 1819. Creator: William Heath
The New Long Back'd Hobby made to carry Three without Kicking, published June 19, 1819. A hobby horse (a forerunner of the bicycle) adapted to carry a passenger

The Dandy and His Postillion - or the Waay to Laugh Up Hill, 1819. Creator: William Heath
The Dandy and His Postillion - or the Waay to Laugh Up Hill, 1819. Ha! Ha! Ha! poor fellow! goodbye! He! He! He!'. Cus these hills! If the lace of my Stays should break I'm done over'

Going to the Races, published May 14, 1819. Creator: William Heath
Going to the Races, published May 14, 1819. Carriage pulled by men riding hobby horses, a forerunner of the bicycle lacking pedals and brakes. Attributed to William Heath

A Family Party Taking an Airing, 1819. Creator: William Heath
A Family Party Taking an Airing, 1819. A hobby horse (a forerunner of the bicycle) adapted to carry a passenger (and her pets). The rider is teased by monkeys. Attributed to William Heath

Unidentified Machine Model, between 1914 and 1918. Creator: Harris & Ewing
Unidentified Machine Model, between 1914 and 1918

Unidentified Machine Model, between 1914 and 1918. Creator: Harris & Ewing
Unidentified Machine Model, between 1914 and 1918

Cannon Revolver, exhibited in the Marine Museum, at Paris, 1854. Creator: Ebenezer Landells
Cannon Revolver, exhibited in the Marine Museum, at Paris, 1854....an instrument invented some time ago. M. Frugier Coigny claims to have invented it

Roasting the Baron of Beef by Gas, in the Castle-Yard, Exeter, 1850. Creator: Unknown
Roasting the Baron of Beef by Gas, in the Castle-Yard, Exeter, [Devon], 1850. Event during the annual meeting and exhibition of the Royal Agricultural Society

Robinson and Lee's Patent Bread-Making Machine, 1850. Creator: Unknown
Robinson and Lee's Patent Bread-Making Machine, 1850. Diagram of...a Bread-Machine recently erected in Glasgow...One ton and a half of loaf bread, or a ton of biscuit

Ascent of Bell's Aerial Machine, from Vauxhall Gardens, 1850. Creator: Unknown
Ascent of Bell's Aerial Machine, from Vauxhall Gardens, [London], 1850. The machine which Mr. Bell has constructed...is capable of sustaining a weight of between 500 and 600 lb

M. Petin's "System of Aerial Navigation", 1850. Creator: Unknown. M
M. Petin's "System of Aerial Navigation", 1850. French milliner and balloonist Ernest Petin..has sought to give to his apparatus the greatest possible power

Wild Duck Shooting on the Potomac, 1850. Creator: Unknown
Wild Duck Shooting on the Potomac, 1850. American invention for duck-shooting:..one device attracted my notice especially [and] succeeds admirably

Cordingly's Floating Bath, 1850. Creator: Hare
Cordingly's Floating Bath, 1850. A simple and ingenious novelty...for the convenience and comfort of those who may wish to enjoy a private bath in mid-day, on the Serpentine

The Patent Impulsoria, 1850. Creator: Unknown
The Patent Impulsoria, 1850. This ingenious means of applying animal power to the working of railways, so as to supersede the costly locomotive engine, has lately been invented...The new machine

The International Exhibition: centrifugal pump by Easton, Amos, and Co... 1862. Creator: Unknown
The International Exhibition: centrifugal pump by Easton, Amos, and Co. - from a photograph by the London Stereoscopic Company, 1862

The International Exhibition: sugar-refining apparatus of Messrs. Caile and Co. of Paris, 1862. Creator: Unknown
The International Exhibition: sugar-refining apparatus of Messrs. Caile and Co. of Paris, 1862. European machine processing sugar cane from the colonies

The International Exhibition: Merryweather and Son's patent steam fire-engine, 1862. Creator: Unknown
The International Exhibition: Merryweather and Son's patent steam fire-engine, 1862. This powerful and well-finished steam fire-engine

The International Exhibition: blowing-engine in the Belgian Department... 1862. Creator: Unknown
The International Exhibition: blowing-engine in the Belgian Department of the Western Annexe, 1862. Machine for...reducing iron ore to pig metal...As iron-furnaces have increased in size and number

The International Exhibition: Sandford and Mallory's flax-gin, 1862. Creator: Unknown
The International Exhibition: Sandford and Mallory's flax-gin, 1862. Although of a very unpretending appearance, the flax-gin of America may claim a value for industrial usefulness greater than

Princes Aerial Ship. Star of the East!, 19th century. 19th century
Princes Aerial Ship. Star of the East!, 19th century

Machine for Raising Dough at Messrs. Carr and Co.'s Works, Carlisle, 1857. Creator: Unknown
Machine for Raising Dough at Messrs. Carr and Co.'s Works, Carlisle, 1857. The process which has just been perfected by Dr

The International Exhibition: Robinson's cask-cleaning machine, 1862. Creator: Unknown
The International Exhibition: Robinson's cask-cleaning machine, 1862. A...machine...especially adapted for breweries and vinegar and chemical works...It consists of two frames or rings

Type of hay derrick characteristic of Oregon... Irrigon, Morrow County, Oregon, 1939. Creator: Dorothea Lange
Type of hay derrick characteristic of Oregon landscape. Irrigon, Morrow County, Oregon

Woman and Child, Showing How the Heads of Children are Flattened, (1837-1839?)

A Travelling Knife-grinder at a Cottage Door, 1787. Creator: Thomas Rowlandson
A Travelling Knife-grinder at a Cottage Door, 1787

Imaginary Flight of Hensons Ariel, 1843, (1944). Creator: Day & Haghe
Imaginary Flight of Hensons " Ariel", 1843, (1944). William Henson and John Stringfellows 1843 design for steam-powered flying machine

Cattle drinking at a trough, Burgenland, Austria, c1935. Creator: Unknown
Cattle drinking at a trough, Burgenland, Austria, c1935. From " Osterreich - Land Und Volk", (Austria, Land and People). [R. Lechner (Wilhelm Muller), Vienna, c1935]

Mr. Patterson and His Apparatus, 1900. Creator: Unknown
Mr. Patterson and His Apparatus, 1900. Mr George W Patterson of Chicago was the first person to put on displays of juggling with electrically lit clubs

Taxi cab with gas-bag device on specially fitted roof, 1914-1918, (1935). Creator: Unknown
Taxi cab with gas-bag device on specially fitted roof, 1914-1918, (1935). During the War years there was an acute petrol shortage

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