Invention Collection

Siebe and Harrisons patent ice-making machine, 1862. This machine was patented by James Harrison in Australia in 1859, and the design was then improved by Augustus Siebe & Co of London in 1861

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 aeroplane proposed by Henson in his patent of 1842, c1936 (c1937). William Samuel Henson (1812-1888) was a pre-Wright brothers aviation engineer and inventor from Nottingham, England

Sectional view of a Newcomen steam engine, 1737. Thomas Newcomen (1663-1729) designed his atmospheric or steam engine in 1712

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

Bray's Traction-engine, 1858. Creator: Unknown
Bray's Traction-engine, 1858....thousands of spectators...seemed much interested and astonished on seeing a steam-engine traversing the streets of London...Attached was a truck, or platform

Soyer's Barrack Cooking Apparatus, 1858. Creator: Unknown
Soyer's Barrack Cooking Apparatus, 1858. Improved technology to improve soldiers diets during the Crimean War. The...kitchen was opened by the late much-lamented chef de cuisine, Alexis Soyer

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

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

Distant Fronts, In Palestine; For walking on sand, 1917. Creator: Unknown
Distant Fronts, In Palestine; For walking on sand, 1917. From "L'Album de la Guerre 1914-1919, Volume 2" [L'Illustration, Paris, 1924]

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

Experiments made with Stevens's Bread-making Machine at Marylebone Workhouse, 1858. Creator: Unknown
Experiments made with Stevens's Bread-making Machine at Marylebone Workhouse, 1858. Mr. Stevens, the inventor of the A B C bread-making machine, is a practical baker

Diopter. Creator: Anon
Diopter

Invention, 1748. Creator: Louis Fabritius Dubourg
Invention, 1748

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

The Electric Target invented by Lieut. Chevalier, 1860. Creator: Unknown
The Electric Target invented by Lieut. Chevalier, 1860. Self-recording target invented by Lieutenant Chevalier of the 1st West India Regiment

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

Les Parisiens ayant trouvé le moyen de circuler... 19th century. Creator: Honore Daumier
Les Parisiens ayant trouve le moyen de circuler... 19th century. Parisians have found a way of getting around on tarmacked boulevards during rainy weather

Leonard D.Mahon with Steel Helmet He Invented That Could Be Used As Shovel, 1917. Creator: Harris & Ewing
Leonard D.Mahon with Steel Helmet He Invented That Could Be Used As Shovel, 1917

Leonard D. Mahon with steel helmet he invented that could be used as shovel, 1917. Creator: Harris & Ewing. Leonard D
Leonard D. Mahon with steel helmet he invented that could be used as shovel, 1917

Life Saving Suit Worn By T. Aud, 1916. Creator: Harris & Ewing. Life Saving Suit Worn By T. Aud, 1916
Life Saving Suit Worn By T. Aud, 1916

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

Mergenthaler, Ottmar, 2nd Linotype Machine with Band, Invented By Him; 3rd Design He... 1917. Creator: Harris & Ewing
2nd Linotype Machine with Band, invented By Ottmar Mergenthaler; 3rd design he invented at Smithsonian, 1917. The linotype machine was the first device that could easily

The Revival of Learning, the Invention of Printing and Gunpowder and the Discovery of America, 1784

Sketch for the dome of the Denon pavilion at the Louvre: l'invention (ou la sculpture), 1864. "The four artistic ages of France": Invention (or Sculpture)

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

Capt. Buzzcott's army kitchen, between 1910 and 1920. Creator: Harris & Ewing. Capt
Capt. Buzzcott's [sic] army kitchen, between 1910 and 1920. USA Motor Field Kitchen, designed by Francis H. Buzzacott

Interior of the Gallery of Machines at the 1889 Universal Exhibition, 1889. Creator: Louis Beroud
Interior of the Gallery of Machines at the 1889 Universal Exhibition, 1889

Steam Sewing-Machines, 1854. Creator: Unknown
Steam Sewing-Machines, 1854. The machine-room of the firm of Holloway, Crowe, and Holloway, ...wholesale clothes manufacturers, Stroud, Gloucestershire...Here are twenty machines in work

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

Affiche pour le Musée Grévin, "Pantomimes lumineuses". c1896. Creator: Jules Cheret
Affiche pour le Musee Grevin, "Pantomimes lumineuses". c1896. [Publisher: Imprimerie Chaix; Place: Paris]

'Professor Myers Air Bicycle, 1891. Creator: Unknown
'Professor Myers Air Bicycle, 1891. From "The Graphic. An Illustrated Weekly Newspaper", Volume 44. July to December, 1891

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

Metal sphere used during the siege of 1870-71, for sending mail dispatches by water, 1872. Creator: Helene Vonoven
Metal sphere used during the siege of 1870-71, for sending mail dispatches by water, 1872

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

Fowler's New Subsoil Draining Plough, 1850. Creator: Unknown
Fowler's New Subsoil Draining Plough, 1850. An experimental trial of Fowler's Patent Draining Plough and Machinery took place...in a field at the back of Mr

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

The Annual Exhibition of the Smithfield Club - Bringing in Implements, 1850. Creator: Unknown
The Annual Exhibition of the Smithfield Club - Bringing in Implements, 1850. Agricultural show in London. Farming machinery on display included: Seed and Manure Drill, a Wheel Plough

A Philosopher Shewing an Experiment on the Air Pump, 1769. Creator: Valentine Green
A Philosopher Shewing an Experiment on the Air Pump, 1769

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

All Professionally Made to Order for Quick Shipping