The Clark Collection of Mechanical Movements
The Clark Collection of Mechanical Movements is a museum exhibit at the Museum of Science (Boston).[1] Built in the 1920s,[2] it currently shows 120 panels of mechanisms, including gears and models of machines.[3] The exhibit is constructed in cabinets of 16 square panels, each measuring 15¼ by 15¼ inches, containing one or more movements.[4]
History
W.M. Clark, of South Orange, New Jersey, in a book accompanying the exhibit described himself as a
"hobbyist ... [who] ... through the help of the book '507 Mechanical Movements', acquired the foundation for a mechanical education, without schooling in the regular way."[5]
The exhibit, originally titled Mechanical Wonderland, was made over "20 years" by Mr. Clark in the early 1900s and displayed in "the Boys' Department of a New York department store".[5]
It was inspired by the book Five Hundred and Seven Mechanical Movements by Henry T. Brown, published in 1869.[6]
- In the 1920s, over 135,000 people saw it in the Grand Central Palace in New York City in a one-week period.[5]
- In 1928, the Mechanical Wonderland exhibit was displayed at the Museum of Peaceful Arts.[7][8][9]
- In 1936, the exhibit was displayed in the New York Museum of Science and Industry.[10]
- The exhibit was transferred to the Museum of Science, Boston before 1954.[11]
Newark Museum copy of collection
- In 1930, after John Cotton Dana, the founder of the Newark Museum, expressed interest, a second copy of the exhibit was constructed by W.M. Clark and donated to the Newark Museum by Louis Bamberger. The book Mechanical Models was published by the Newark Museum.[12]
- In 1933, W.M. Clark published A Manual of Mechanical Movements, to accompany the Chicago World's Fair.[5]
- In 1934, Newark Museum collection was loaned to the Chicago World's Fair, "A Century of Progress".
- In 1954, The Newark Museum published a review of the exhibit by Kenneth L Gosner.[11]
References
- ^ "The Clark Collection of Mechanical Movements". .archive-it.org. Retrieved 15 Jan 2025.
- ^ "About "Mechanical Wonderland": The Clark Collection of Mechanical Movements". Mechanical-Library.org. Retrieved 15 Jan 2025.
- ^ Holden, Sarah (Jul 16, 2009). "Videos of The Clark Collection of Mechanical Movements at the Museum". YouTube.com. Retrieved 15 Jan 2025.
- ^ "Elemental Kinematics". All My Eyes. 23 October 2013. Retrieved 15 Jan 2025.
- ^ a b c d Clark, William M. (1933). A Manual of Mechanical Movements. Garden City Publishing. Retrieved 15 Jan 2025.
- ^ Brown, Henry T (1869). Five hundred and Seven Mechanical Movements. Brown, Coombs & Co. Retrieved 15 Jan 2025.
- ^ "Puzzles of modern machinery are shown at museum exhibit". New York Times. 30 September 1928. Retrieved 15 Jan 2025.
- ^ "Moving models show how autos operate". New York Times. 16 September 1928. Retrieved 15 Jan 2025.
- ^ "Machine models shown in Newark". New York Times. 18 May 1930. Retrieved 15 Jan 2025.
- ^ "Scientific Items Gleam in New Home". New York Times. 18 May 1936. Retrieved 15 Jan 2025.
- ^ a b Gosner, Kenneth L (1954). THE MUSEUM (PDF). The Newark Museum. Retrieved 15 Jan 2025.
- ^ Clark, William M.; Downward, Virginia (1930). Mechanical Models: A Series of Working Models on the Art and Science of Mechanics. The Newark Museum. hdl:1813/58719. Retrieved 1 January 2025.
- ^ Clark, William M. (1943). A Manual of Mechanical Movements. Garden City Publishing. Retrieved 15 Jan 2025.
- ^ ""Scientific Items Gleam in New Home"". New York Times. 20 February 1944. Retrieved 15 Jan 2025.
External links
- To inspect the exhibit, see The Interactive Mechanical Wonderland Exhibit