Ernst Plank Toy Steam Engine: Museum Object and Cultural History
Ernst Plank Toy Steam Engine: Object Name: toy, steam engine and boiler. Object Name: steam engine and boiler, toy. Physical Description: brass (overall material).
The object in the museum catalogue
This toy steam engine was manufactured by the Ernst Plank Company of Nuremburg, Germany during the early 20th century. Museum records indicate that this toy steam engine was called the Vulkan, but as Plank produced several varieties of steam toys in their Vulkan line, the exact model is unknown. The toy consists of a vertical firebox and boiler, with a vertical engine shafted to a flywheel.
Ernst Plank founded his company in Nuremburg, Germany in 1866. The company was well known for manufacturing a variety of metal toys like steam locomotives, stationary steam engines, early photography equipment, and magic lanterns until its dissolution in 1935.
Materials, dates and provenance
- Object Name: toy, steam engine and boiler
- Object Name: steam engine and boiler, toy
- Physical Description: brass (overall material)
- Measurements: boiler - from catalog card: 12 in x 5 in; 30.48 cm x 12.7 cm
- Measurements: flywheel - from catalog card: 3 5/8 in; x 9.2075 cm
- Measurements: overall: 12 3/8 in x 5 3/4 in x 5 3/8 in; 31.4325 cm x 14.605 cm x 13.6525 cm
- place made: Germany: Bavaria, Nuremberg
- ID Number: MC.329009
- catalog number: 329009
- accession number: 278175
- Credit Line: Bequest of the Estate of Greville I. Bathe
- Data Source: National Museum of American History
Sources and reuse
Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of American History through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed.
Sources
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