Figure 1.-- The boys here are dressed in dark sailor suits in one of the rooms of the family home. I'm not sure just which room it was. The boys are clearly fascinated by a mechanical item of some kind. Image courtesy of the Hillman Library archives, University of Pittsburgh.

The Spencers lived on Amberson Avenue, one of the finer streets in the Shadyside district of Pittsburgh near the University of Pittsburgh in the East End of the city. Shadyside is (and was) a lovely area with spacious houses and tree-lined avenues, giving little sense of the industrialism, especially the steel industry, that made the city so prosperous. The boys here are dressed in dark sailor suits in one of the rooms of the family home. I'm not sure just which room it was. The boys are clearly fascinated by a mechanical item of some kind. I'm not positive what it is, but looks to me like a toy steam engine. This photograph was taken in March, 1902, and shows Mark (9 years old) and Charles (7 years old). They wear idenical dark sailor suits, probably Navy blue, with knee pants, black long stockings, and hightop shoes. The younger boy (Charles) wears a white dicky with his suit whereas Mark's dicky matches the color of his suit. All the family images we have show the boys in sailor outfits.

Reader Discussion

Reader discussion here has focussed on what the boys are playing with. The archivist who entered this photograph into the Hillman Archives referred to a "sewing machine". A HBC reader reader writes, "I assume it must be accurate". This has, however, not been HBC's experience with many photographic archives. Our experience with photoarchivists is that the captions ar often quickly done when working with large numbers of images and often have errors. The captions are most useful when identifying individuals and dating, here they tend to be more accurate. We have looked at the item and see no resemblance to a sewing machine. Turn of the century sewing machines were much larger and shaped differently. Also they were foot powered. There just is no resemblance to a sewing machine. In addition, my guess is that most mother's at the time would have not wanted their boys messing around with their sewing machine. Our suggestion of a toy steam engine, however, is just a guess and we welcome reader comments.

Several HBC readers agree that the machine is a toy steam engine. These responss have come from all over Europe and america, suggesting this was a very popular toy. A German reader writes, "It looks quite like a steam engine, in former times a well-loved toy for boys." A British reader writes, "I know exactly what the boys are playing with, it is a working model of a steam engine. My Dad bought me a smilar one for my Christmas box when I was 13. It has a small burner which uses methylated spirits and this heats the water and converts it into steam. My model was made by a firm called Mamod and they had several static models like the one in the photograph, they also had models of steam engines that ran along the floor. I used to play with mine for hours, but I could only play with it in the kitchen for obvious reasons. It had one disadvantage though, the house used to reek of methylated spirits whenever I used it." An American readerwrites,"The boys are playing with a model steam engine (AKA "steam plant"), would probably be all metal and toys of this type are still made today, however such things are bought by collectors, and prices can be very high depending on age, company, model, etc. There are a number of companies that have made and still make these "live steam engines" also know as steam plants when they are stationary or mounted on tin or a board. These were dangerous toys and also fairly expensive, only middel class and higher could afford to buy them. The danger came from the fact that they burn fuel, and make and use hot steam under pressure, just like the real thing. You will note a similar toy steam engine (a train engine) in the novel and films "The Railway Children". In "The Railway Children" the toy becomes damaged and Peter feels quite badly over this as it was and is a much prized toy for any boy. There were fires caused from these toys on occasion and they were not something any parent should or did let the children play with alone. The steam as well as the fule caused burns to children and there was the ever present danger of the boiler exploding, just like the real thing! I have been looking into collecting such model steam engines, but currently I do not have any in my possision. There are other versions of this toy, and some are used in radio controlled model ships as well as trains, tractors and the stationary units. Some of the high-end brands still available are Mammod and Wilesco. Krick makes some for Marine applications and there are model builders/machinests/engineers that make their own from scratch or from plans using milling equipment." A reader in Spain writes, "The boys are playing with a steam machine. It really produces energy transmitted to the wheels."

While HBC focues on clothing, we like to touch on lifestyle issues as well. Thus we find the toys boys played with in historic images fascinating. This looks like areally great little toy. It had limitations though because of the danger of fire. Our reader above notes he could only use it in the kitchen and there was a smell. We also wonder if there were not a few burned finger. Thus as soon as electrification became widespread, we suspect that eltrical model trains replaced these marvelous little steam engines.

Created: December 4, 2003
Last updated: December 5, 2003