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The Clark Collection of Mechanical Movements

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Exhibits 1-16 and 129-144 of Clark Collection of mechanical movements at Museum of Science, Boston

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

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W.M. Clark, of South Orange, NJ, 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][page needed]

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]

Detail of The American Artisan ser.2-v.1 1865 pg24 : A weekly journal of arts, mechanics, manufactures, engineering, chemistry, inventions, and patents

It was inspired by the book Five Hundred and Seven Mechanical Movements by Henry T. Brown, published in 1869.[6]

  • The exhibit was transferred to the Museum of Science, Boston before 1954.[11]

Newark Museum copy of collection

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Newark Museum Exhibit of Mechanical Models, 1933
  • 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]
Advertisement for Mechanical Wonderland exhibit at the 1934 Chicago World's Fair, in Popular Science Aug 1933 pg 79.
  • In 1933, W.M. Clark published "A Manual of Mechanical Movements", to accompany the Chicago World's Fair.[5]
  • In 1943, W.M. Clark published a new edition of "A Manual of Mechanical Movements".[13] [14]
  • In 1954, The Newark Museum published a review of the exhibit by Kenneth L Gosner.[11]

References

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  1. ^ "The Clark Collection of Mechanical Movements". .archive-it.org. Retrieved 15 Jan 2025.
  2. ^ "About "Mechanical Wonderland": The Clark Collection of Mechanical Movements". Mechanical-Library.org. Retrieved 15 Jan 2025.
  3. ^ Holden, Sarah (Jul 16, 2009). "Videos of The Clark Collection of Mechanical Movements at the Museum". YouTube.com. Retrieved 15 Jan 2025.
  4. ^ "Elemental Kinematics". All My Eyes. 23 October 2013. Retrieved 15 Jan 2025.
  5. ^ a b c d Clark, William M. (1933). A Manual of Mechanical Movements. Garden City Publishing. Retrieved 15 Jan 2025.
  6. ^ Brown, Henry T (1869). Five hundred and Seven Mechanical Movements. Brown, Coombs & Co. Retrieved 15 Jan 2025.
  7. ^ "Puzzles of modern machinery are shown at museum exhibit". New York Times. 30 September 1928. Retrieved 15 Jan 2025.
  8. ^ "Moving models show how autos operate". New York Times. 16 September 1928. Retrieved 15 Jan 2025.
  9. ^ "Machine models shown in Newark". New York Times. 18 May 1930. Retrieved 15 Jan 2025.
  10. ^ "Scientific Items Gleam in New Home". New York Times. 18 May 1936. Retrieved 15 Jan 2025.
  11. ^ a b Gosner, Kenneth L (1954). THE MUSEUM (PDF). The Newark Museum. Retrieved 15 Jan 2025.
  12. ^ 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.
  13. ^ Clark, William M. (1943). A Manual of Mechanical Movements. Garden City Publishing. Retrieved 15 Jan 2025.
  14. ^ ""Scientific Items Gleam in New Home"". New York Times. 20 February 1944. Retrieved 15 Jan 2025.
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