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Found 230 Stories
A middle-aged woman sitting on a barrel next to an outside staircase. She is holding a sketchbook.
Blog

Immigrant Lili Réthi Revealed the Drama of Construction

Graphic illustrator Lili Réthi depicted engineering, construction, and industrial projects with sensational realism.

An illustration of an air-brushed eye from a pamphlet about air brushing for painting
Blog

How the Invention of the Air Brush Transformed Commercial Art

Simple in construction and operation, the air brush offered new opportunities in art and photography.

Detail of cover of a brochure showing different types of egg crates, about 1900
Blog

Egg-citing Inventions

The egg carton traces its origins to the early 20th century, with inventors from Great Britain, Canada, and the United States contributing to its evolution.

Patent drawing of a wagon tipping out trash
Blog

Sanitation Engineering Inventions Create a Healthier World

Prior to 1850, few, if any, United States cities had built sewage systems.

Sketch of a woman reading
Blog

Illustrating "The Amateur Scientist" at Scientific American

Scientific American welcomed articles by amateur scientists and inventors—and Roger Hayward illustrated their ideas.

Andy Granatelli and his brother Vincent standing behind two race cars
Blog

The Supercharged, Super Fast, Novi Engine

Race car owner and driver, innovator, and entrepreneur Andy Granatelli was as supercharged as the Novi itself.

Detail of Print ad for the Traver Circle Swing, “The Best Park Attraction,” includes a photo of the swing tower in operation in Rockford, Illinois.
Blog

A Swinging Amusement

The Traver Circle Swing Company, builders of the world's greatest amusement, brought thrills to the masses.

Detail of cartoon drawing of men sitting around an old-time general store. One man is nailing up a sign that reads, in part, “Pump Salesmen Wanted. Must be experts upon water meters, filters, . . . engines . . . compressors . . . etc.”
Blog

Looking Beyond Steam Pumps

Buried inside the unprocessed papers of a steam pump manufacturer were drawings and illustrations illuminating the work culture and life within the company.

Detail from seven groups of script characters, broken into groups A–G, show all of the characters in the Devanagari font
Blog

Devanagari Script for the Mergenthaler Linotype

Inventor Hari Govil worked with the Mergenthaler Linotype Company to design and perfect printing equipment for the Hindi language based on the Devanagari alphabet.

Advertisement for a Linotype machine that shows a photo of the machine with 57 red lines coming out to the margins, noting individual features of the Linotype.
Blog

A Simple Operation

The Linotype was a marvel of the twentieth century, combining the casting, setting, and distributing of type in one machine, in one operation, by one operator.

To-Morrow's Scientists flyer for a meeting of the New York Electrical Society and the American Institute Science and Engineering Clubs on Wednesday 28 May 1941. Speakers: Patrick Carner, Roy Gluber, Baruch Blumberg, William Diefenbach.
Blog

Junior Is in the Lab!

The American Institute of the City of New York and its science and engineering clubs provided opportunities for “tomorrow’s junior scientists."

4 detailed ink drawings on facing pages of a gridded notebook. Left: 3 drawings are labeled Old Style Intermittent Kiln, Fort Warren Mortar Mill, and Steam Mortar Mill Used at Fort Taylor by Brevet-major J. Sanders. Right: Hoffmans Annular Kiln.
Blog

Communicating with Sketches

Sketching is an essential part of the invention process.

Detail of sheet music for Hail, Inventors and Scientists, 1963, showing logo of United Inventors and Scientists of America
Blog

Hail, the Inventor!

Celebrating inventors through song.

Line illustration of a Library Bureau book cart
Blog

Consider the Humble Book Cart

The L.B. Book Truck—"the most single useful device ever made for an active library”

Lithographed color coffee labels by Price Bros. and Co.
Blog

Coffee in an Instant

Made in the cup at the table—instant coffee and one inventor's research

Screenshot of Spacewar! video game
Lemelson Center Research

Video Game Pioneers Initiative

A project to document and preserve the legacy of video game pioneers.

Pictogram trade card reading "A jar goes often to the well, but is broken at last"
Blog

Innovative Advertising and the Metamorphic Trade Card

Nineteenth-century advertisements that transform before your very eyes!

Photo of Charles Pratt in his office around 1900
Blog

Going Up? Going Down?

A not-so-equal history about an elevator equalizer, two patents, a patent interference, and its resolution.

Frick Ice logo as seen through bricks of ice
Blog

Keeping Cool With Frick

A look at the short-lived but technologically vital age of ice-making plants.

American eagle made out of knives and forks
Blog

The Cutting Edge

Scissors, shears, skates, and more—exploring the history of Herder Cutlery Company

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