Patent Model of Miners' Lamp, 1869
01
Artifact Overview
From 1790 to 1880, the U.S. Patent Office required applicants to submit a miniature model along with diagrams and written descriptions detailing the operation of their invention. Patent models could be no larger than 12" by 12" by 12". Though they were usually not operational, these models helped explain an inventor's idea and protect it from competitors.
Artifact Details
Artifact
Model (Patent)
Date Made
1869
Subject Date
08 June 1869
Creators
Place of Creation
Location
Not on exhibit to the public.
Object ID
26.160.7
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of the Smithsonian Institution
Material
Tin (Metal)
Dimensions
Height: 3.5 in
Length: 4.75 in
Diameter: 2.5 in
Inscriptions
Large tag marked in script: 90.967. 1869. / J. S. SOMMERVILLE. / MINERS LAMPS. / Patented June 8th / 1869.
One small tag: 1869 across the end of tag and: printed in ink: JOHN SOMMERVILLE/ MINERS LAMP/ Received April 20th.
Other small tag marked: PATENT OFFICE / CAT. 330745 / ACC. 88881 / ORIG. 90967, reverse marked in script: U.S. NATIONAL / MUSEUM / WASH.
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