Henry Ford's 1893 Gasoline "Kitchen Sink" Engine, Photographed in 1939

01

Artifact Overview

Henry Ford built his first experimental engine using scrap metal for parts. He tested it on the kitchen sink after supper on December 24, 1893. For ignition he ran a wire from the ceiling's light bulb. His wife Clara hand-fed gasoline to the intake valve while Henry spun the flywheel. The engine roared into action, shaking the sink.

Artifact Details

Artifact

Photographic print

Date Made

16 April 1939

Subject Date

16 April 1939

Location

By Request in the Benson Ford Research Center

Object ID

64.167.188.P.24774

Credit

From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of Ford Motor Company.

Material

Paper (Fiber product)
Linen (Material)

Technique

Gelatin silver process

Color

Black-and-white (Colors)

Dimensions

Height: 11 in
Width: 7.5 in