Wood Engraving, Steam Carriages for Common Roads, circa 1848

01

Artifact Overview

British inventor Goldsworthy Gurney built a series of self-propelled steam carriages in the 1820s. Although successful technologically -- one of Gurney's carriages made the 100-mile trip from London to Bath at an average speed of 15 miles per hour -- the vehicles failed commercially. The growing British railroad network and pressure from horse-carriage interests forced Gurney out of business.

Artifact Details

Artifact

Print (Visual work)

Subject Date

circa 1848

Location

Not on exhibit to the public.

Object ID

82.129.793

Credit

From the Collections of The Henry Ford.

Material

Paper (Fiber product)

Color

Black-and-white (Colors)

Dimensions

Height: 11.75 in
Width: 4.5 in

Inscriptions

Description beneath: The steam motor car made by Goldsworthy Gurny (of Gurney) about 1848. It had a speed of some 8 1/2 miles an hour on common roads. This motor car was illustrated from this print in Vol. II, p. 711, of "A History of Travel in America." Engraved by Butler, 50 Fulton Street, NYC
Wood Engraving, Steam Carriages for Common Roads, circa 1848