Welcome
Thank you for stopping by at the web site of the world's first museum of gears and toothed wheels. The on-going project is still in development but you can take a look at some of the items in the collection of antique, vintage and contemporary gears (cogs, cogwheels, gearwheels, pinions), sprockets, and gear-related items including foundry patterns, molds, engravings, photographic images, toys, games, clocks, tools, models.
Geararium is a non-commercial project the purpose of which is to share interesting artifacts depicting the place of gears in our lives. This is also an exploration of the diversity of gears and unusual connections, a source of inspiration for artists, steampunk designers, historians, engineers and everyone else who enjoys to discover.
If you have any questions, suggestions or you would like to help with identifying the artifacts, maybe even trade or donate gears or any gear-related items, please do not hesitate to contact. Museum's e-mail address is: mail@geararium.org
As for now, you are welcome to enjoy some of the items from the museum's collection located permanently in Surrey, BC, Canada.
Please, wait for a big update. Within a month the museum will be updated and you will be able to see many interesting projects and items, including a living room with the geared objects, an encyclopedia of toothed wheels, local gears, and some other projects.
"Engineers with a wooden gear pattern"
Origin: USA, Late 1800's
Note: CDV occupational photo
"Antique gear with six curved spokes"
Material: Cast iron
Size: D=13"
"Antique wooden pattern (mold or mould) of a gear number 973"
Material: Wood
Size: D=5 1/2"
Note: Patterrns like this were often used to cast the iron copies of gears that would be used in various types of machinery. The patterns were made of wood so it would be easy for the foundry workers to handle the weight. You can magine how much the cast iron copy would weight.
"Educational model of gears"
Origin: Germany
Material: Metal
Note: This model was made between 1920's-30's for a school in Pirna to demonstrate the gravity and the inertia in steam engines and locomotives.
"Antique iron gear with unusual 6 curved spokes"
Origin: USA
Material: Metal
Size: D=410mm
Note: A very ornate cast gear that was probably used as a farm implement in late 1800's.
Six spokes are separated at the ends to make a total of 12 spokes. Notice the different coloration on the spokes close to the gear center. It suggests that at least two different paints were used in decorating this gear wheel at the time of its production. Number SL-178 is placed on the back of the gear in order to identify the part.
"Brotherhood of engineers mug"
Origin: Germany, Late 1800's
Material: Clay
Dimensions: H=113 mm, D=82 mm
"Antique foundry pattern of a gear with a universal center"
Origin: Galena, IL, USA
Material: Wood
Size: D=780 mm
Note: This interesting gear mold was crafted in 1800's by pattern makers of John Westwick foundry. The foundry was founded in 1854. The pattern is white pine. Lamp black was put on the pattern during crafting process, then the pattern was coated with shellack. This pattern was used to make grey iron castings for use in the lead mines in Galena to smelt lead ore.
Notice the unusual square center design of this pattern. It seems like at the beginning, the center of the pattern was designed to be round, but then the eight small pieces were added to make it look like a square, so it became a universal pattern. If the center of this pattern would be intended to have square shape at the beginning, the eight pieces would but cut as triangles. Then, triangular pieces would be combined to make a perfect sqare.
Square hub, a piece of wood that is attached to the cener of the pattern is very common for many 1800's gear patterns. Also, notice that the rim of a gear has almost the same thickness as gear's spokes. This type of design is also common for many patterns of gears crafted in 1800's.
"Antique foundry pattern of a gear with inner teeth"
Origin: Galena, IL, USA, 1800's
Material: Wood
"Antique foundry casting pattern of a gear by B.E.Co, L. Hand"
Origin: USA
Material: Wood
Note: Notice an unusual non-simmetrical position of the spokes.
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"Workers of Atelier Menuisier"
Origin: France, 1905
Note: This cabinet photo of French workers shows the carpenters and the makers of the patterns of gears.
An antique photo is like a time machine. Take a closer look on this and other old photographic images and travel in time for a little bit.
"Split sides foundry pattern of a gear"
Material: Wood
Size: D=460 mm
"Glavmoloko logo. Gear and milk"
Origin: Moscow, Russia, 1945
Note: At the bottom right corner of this vintage post war advertising from a magazine there is a logo that contains an image of a gear. The logo is translated as "State manufacture of milk" The interesting visual connection here is a gear and a milk bottle inside it.
"Wooden pattern of a gear number 103C 10T"
Origin: USA
"The cogwheel puzzle"
Origin: USA, 1930's
Note: Dexterity game that was originally designed in Great Briatain and later adopted to the United States.
"Antique wooden pattern of a gear by K.I.W"
Material: Wood
Size: D=233 mm
Note: Notice the round marks on the front of the gear patterns. These marks were left by the foundry workers who were pounding the wooden pattern with a small hammer or similar tool in order to make a perfect impression of it in a sand casting box.
"Hockey gears"
Origin: USA
Material: Metal
Connection: Gears and sport
Note: Vintage license plate of Saginaw Gears hockey club, 1970's.
"Foundry pattern of a gear number U3232"
Origin: Canada
Material: Wood
Size: D=900 mm
"Gears in music. The Cogs of 1960 music record"
Origin: USA
Connection: Gears and music
Note: It is probably the very first image of gears on a music record jacket that was ever made.
"Vintage foundry pattern of an ornate sprocket with 8 teeth"
Origin: USA
Material: Wood
Size: D=485 mm
Note: Notice the interesting and ornate design on the back side of this gear pattern.
"Vintage gear buttons"
Material: Bakelite
Note: A pair of vintage different sizes buttons with gear design, 1930's.
"Antique foundry pattern of St. Nicholas roll gear"
Material: Wood
Dimensions: D=1130 mm
Note: The sign on a gear says "Roll Gear - 39" P.D. 19T. 6449" C.P. St. Nicholas Sketch # SK-25-109." St.Nicholas is another name for Santa Claus. So, here it is, one of a kind Santa Claus gear :)
"A gear, a hammer and an acorn plaque"
Origin: Germany, 1950's-60's
Material: Metal
Note: This plaque was created by German workers. It was likely used as a symbol of industry and craftsmanship by one of the multiple Communist related organizations of workers.
"E.K. Wood Lumber Co. pattern of a gear"
Origin: USA
Material: Wood
Note: Notice an ornate sign at the front. Curved corners definitely add an interest to this pattern.
"Peugeot bicycle sprocket-trivet"
Origin: France, 1905-1920
Material: Metal
Note: This item represents a very interesting way of using a toothed wheel. A three lions sprocket from an antique bicycle made by Peugeot was transformed into a trivet by attaching six metal legs to the bottom of a sprocket. This trivet cold be also considered as an example of French early 1900's folk art movement inspired by early technological or industrial items.
"An ultimate wooden gear"
Material: Wood
Note: Japanese designers made a miracle back in the days, a gear with replaceable teeth. In case dental work needed, the gear is not sent to the dentist but instead each broken teeth is removed from a gear with help of a wooden peg. Also, the gear is reinforced with hand forged iron rims for extra protection from cracking.
"Ornate gear"
Material: Metal (Brass)
Note: This very interesting and unusually ornate gear came from an old clock.
"A mold of a gear with slope edged teeth"
Material: Wood
"Torbensen Drive Internal Gear factory medal"
Origin: Cleveland, USA
Material: Metal
Size: D=3"
"Star map foundry pattern of a sprocket"
Note: The holes on the hub of this antique gear pattern were left by foundry tools. Now they resemble an unusual star map and a good question to astronomers. Are there any known constellations present on this star map?
"Team of workers with factory executives and an unusual gear"
Origin: Russia, 1910's
Material: Paper
Dimensions: L=138 mm, H=89 mm
Note: An unusual gears is standing in front of the team of workers. Notice that the two spokes of the gear have the rivets. It seems like this gear has been repaired because the broken or damaged spokes. It is easy also to see the director of the factory or a head person of the department. He is sittign at the center and he is the only one who wears the white hat on this picture.
"1896 pattern of a gear (pinion) made by Canton Shop"
Material: Wood
Origin: England
Note: This is an exceptional example of a perfect, laboratiry like specimen of a gear. Why laboratory like? Because as any specimen in a laboratory, this gear or pinion has a unique identification tag which is handwritten on a paper. Not only we have the name of a company that have placed the order, we also know a year when the current pattern was made. Notice that the teeth on this pattern were modified and extended. It is possible that the measurements of the original order has been changed and instead of making a new pattern of a gear with longer teeth, pattern maker just added an additional wooden piece to each tooth.
Another interesting detail is also a repeating number "2" on a center hub. This repetition was probably added so the number could be seen from the different sides. Although, inspite five similar numbers being stamped, there is still a side from which number "2" cannot be read correctly.
"Models of early locomotives"
Origin: England
Note: Press photo from Model Engineering Exhibition
at the Royal Horticultural Hall.
Size: 8" x 6"
"Foundry pattern of a railroad sprocket number 177"
Material: Wood
Origin: Plymouth, Ohio, USA
Size: D=29" (740 mm)
Note: This pattern was manufactured by Fate Root Heath Company. It seems like the company was using the distinctive features for its molds; a certain font for letters and numbers, and a burgundy colored center hub at the center of each mold.
"Antique wooden gear with a square shaft"
Origin: Japan
Material: Wood
Size: D=1' 1/2"
Note: Notice how this gear was fixed with two iron brackets when the wood split.
"Onesiphore Pecqueur medal"
Material: Metal, bronze
Note: Onesiphore Pecqueur is French inventor of a differential gear, 1828. The medal was manufactured in 1972.
"Antique gear mold, a pattern of a cog made by Wilmington Iron Works"
Material: Wood
Origin: USA
"Foundry workers with gears"
Note: Early 1900's photo picture of workers. There's a sign "Granpa Huffman" that addressed to a gentleman with a beard on a bottom row. Probably somebody has recognized a relative on this photo. There are also two common spur gears on this photo and both of them have six spokes. Notice also a gentleman with a hat who is looking through the big gear.
"Warwick Pot. Wad Mill pattern of a bevel gear"
Origin: USA
Note: This wooden pattern was made by Centre Foundry Woodworking Shop, Wheeling. West Virginia around 1900's-1920's. The plant was located in a center of a city and was manufacturing pottery up until 1940's.
Gears and nature
There's an unusual connection exists between gears and nature. Gears are the product of industrial revolution and development of technology. It is hard to imagine that gears could be somehow related to the natural objects like Earth, Moon, animals, seasons. Saying that, such visual connection exists and the following artifacts can prove that a little bit :)
"Ocean Jasper slab with gears"
Origin: Madagascar
Connection: Gears and nature
Note: Gears in nature. This interesting Ocean Jasper rock with unique gear-like pattern was found in Madagascar in 2010.
"Industrial pattern of a starfish-like gear by Farley"
Origin: USA
Material: Wood
Connection: Gears and nature
Note: An antique gear pattern with the letters of manufacturer Farley in the center.
Could it be a part of the first Farley Davidson motorcycle? Notice that the spokes resemble the five legs of a starfish.
"Ducks and gears"
Material: Cardboard
Connection: Gears and nature
Note:
A promotional blotter, an advertising card that shows an unusual connection of gears and ducks in fall.
"Wooden pattern of a cogwheel. Too close to nature"
Material: Wood
Note: This is probably the best example of the closest connection of gears to nature. Notice the termite damage on the rim. Since the pattern was made out of soft wood, it became very attractive to different types of beetles and termites that have dug numerous tonnels inside the gear. Inspite of being almost half eaten from inside, the pattern is still quite strong and maintains its original shape.
"Fish gear"
Origin: England, middle 1800's
Material: Glass, metal, oil paint
Connection: Gears and nature
Note: This gear with hand painted fish on its glass surface is taken from a mechanical Magic Lantern slide that shows the colorful aquarium and its inhabitants.
"Fish and a gear postcard"
Origin: Japan, 1920's
Material: Paper
Dimensions: L=141 mm, H=90 mm
Note: A gear on this industries promotional postcard shares a space with the swimming fish. This is a very unusual combination.
It's alive!
Actualy, they alive. Gears and foundry patterns presented in this category have unique design that resembles a face. Only a little bit of artistic touch is required in order to see the full magic of transformation of an industrial object to an emotional creature.
"Mr. Frankie Varicam"
Origin: USA
Material: Metal, plastic
Note: Varicam gear was made in late 1960's by a company in United States to improve the speed of a car. It is interesting to know that Varicam is also brand of a video camera introduced by Panasonic company way after this gear was manufactured. Couple eyeballs were added to make Frankie alive.
"Smiling Hideki"
Origin: Japan
Material: Wood
Dimensios: D=295 mm, W=35 mm
Note: Hideki is a wooden gear from Japan. He is carved from the piece of a hardwood and eight teeth have been replaced and reinforced with the wooden pegs by old craftsmen. Couple holes were added by an artist to make him smile.
"Big nose Joe"
Origin: US
Material: Wood, metal
Note: This vintage wooden pattern of a sprocket was likely used for casting an iron copy that would be used in Oliver tractors. Just couple eyeballs were added.
"Big smiling gear"
Origin: Canada
Material: Wood
Dimensions: D=480mm
Note: Another interesting old wooden pattern of a gear with eyes and a nose. A smile was added to show the happy feeling this gear shares with every visitor of this museum :)
"Smiling three eyes gear"
Material: Metal
Dimensions: D=20 mm
Note: This is a unique vintage gear with three eyes, a nose and and a mouth. There are only three eyeballs were added to complete this creature.
"He and she, a perfect couple of antique wooden sprocket molds, patterns"
Origin: US
Material: Wood
"Gear family portrait"
Material: Wood
Note: This portrait consists of the three wooden patterns of gears that share similar design but vary in sizes. It seems like all three patterns came from the same foundry. Just a pair of eyes was added to each of the pattern.
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"Antique p attern of a gear 16T 103C"
Origin: USA
Material: Wood
Note: "Holey" design of a gear comonly used in antique machinery.
"Gear-like key"
Origin: USA, 1910-1920's
Material: Metal
Note: It is possible that this key was used as part of the mechanism of an old car.
"Antique foundry casting pattern of a gear by J.B"
Origin: USA, 1800's
Material: Wood
Note: Very unusual design of a gear pattern. Notice the hand forged nails on the rim.
"USSR sport achievements medal with a gear"
Origin: Russia, 1970's
Note: This medal was presented to the leading labor group at the one of the Soviet Union factories. The word "Labor" is the center of a gear wheel.
Size: D=2 1/4"
"Antique foundry pattern of a sprocket"
Material: Wood
Size: H=400 mm, L=410 mm
"Sun gear"
Material: Wood, metal
Size: L=285 mm
Note: The Sun shaped brass gears on tnis antique pasta and noodle maker by Tallara company were cast in early 1900's.
"Antique foundry casting pattern of a gear by B.E.Co"
Origin: USA
Material: Wood
"Moon gear"
Origin: England
Note: A hand painted gear from an antique grandfather clock.
Material: Metal, oil paint
Size: D=8 1/4"
"Wooden pattern of a gear with four swirl spokes"
Origin: USA, 1800's.
Note: Notice how the teeth are placed inside the rim of the pattern. Also, notice a small triangle piece placed at the beginning and at the end end of each spoke. This feature not only makes this gear to be an ornate looking piece of a machinery, but it also reinforces the spokes of the iron gear, an exact copy of this patern.
"Toy gear set by Brio"
Origin: Sweden, 1980's
Note: The set contains four plastic gears.
"Bond gear R8S"
Origin: USA, 1930's-1940's
Note: Probably James Bond's favorite gear :)
Material: Metal
"Vintage foundry casting pattern, mould of a sprocket by Schuckl & Co."
Origin: USA
Material: Wood
"Gear and rack bookends"
Origin: 1930's
Material: Solid brass
Note: A pair of antique solid brass bookends.
Each gear have number 230 on the back side and attached with the screw to the gear rack. In late 1990's Polo Ralph Lauren copied the main design features of such bookends and made a simlified version in silver with its company logo. There was no indicaton on the designer of the original version.
"Antique pattern of a gear with doube hub design"
Origin: USA
Material: Wood
"Industrial art plaque by Georg Bommer"
Origin: Germany, 1910's
Material: Metal, wood
Note: This interesting plaque by German artist was probably intended to glorify the beauty of industrial revolution. Georg Bommer designed different styles of art plaques that were produced in early 1900's in industrial Europe. Some of these plaques were industrial art oriented and some were depicting of images of animals and people.
Notice an infant who is sitting on a gear and holding a governor from a steam engine in left hand and supporting a part of a boiler with the right hand. Another gear with unusual 7 spoke design is laying beside him. Notice also that there's not a single tree around. Nature on this plaque, except river that was probably used to bring logs to the factories, is replaced with smoking chimneys, railroad tracks and endless factory buildings. Was this an artist's vision of the future?
"Foundry pattern of a bevel type gear"
Material: Wood
Size: D=8"
"Drilling artesian well"
Origin: France
Note: Hand colored antique engraving by E. Guerin.
Excerpt is taken from Histoire Naturelle, 1836
Size: Full page 7" x 12"
"An iron gear with a common six spokes design"
Origin: USA
Material: Cast iron
Size: D=3 1/2"
"Wooden pattern of a Meehanite railroad gear"
Origin: USA
Material: Cast iron
Size: D=40" (1020 mm), W=5" (130 mm)
Note: This big and very well made mold was used in casting a strong cast ron gear for railroad machinery. It was crafted by mold makers of L&W.N.R.R. Co.
The Meehanite process was developed by Meehan and Smalley in the early 1920s. It was originally based on introducing calcium silicide into the melt to improve the mechanical and physical properties. When a foundry advertises that produces "Meehanite Iron" this means the foundry is licensed by Meehanite Metal Corporation, initially of Chattanooga, Tennessee but now based in Mequon, Wisconsin.
"Computa Bank 707"
Material: Plastic
Note: A toy coin sorter that even somehow managed to receive a model number 707.
In this model, gears serve as pockets for coins.
"Foundry pattern of a sprocket number K970 with unusual curved teeth"
Material: Wood
Origin: Plymouth, Ohio, USA
Size: D=525 mm
"Inside the workshop"
Origin: England
Note: Notice on this antique photo a giant wooden gear pattern that fits perfect to an industrial composition with the chains.
Size: 8" x 6"
"Antique foundry pattern of a gear number C44"
Origin: USA, late 1800's
Material: Wood
Size: D=11"
Note: Notice that pattern maker made a mistake in writing letter "C", which is written backwards.
"Foundry pattern of a gear with "Y" shaped teeth"
Material: Wood
Size: D=142 mm
Note: A gear mold with unusual, "V" shaped design of the teeth.
"Vintage industrial gears bookends"
Material: Metal, wood
Size: L 138 mm, W 115 mm, H 165 mm
Note: An original metal gear was used in making of these bookends
"Antique pattern of a gear by MS with eight spokes"
Origin: USA
Material: Wood
Size: D=1300 mm
Note: This gear pattern was made by Mountain State Steel Foundries,
Parkersburg, West Virginia in early 1900s and was used to cast an iron gear for a steam ship.
"Autumn gear"
Material: Metal, acrylic paint
Note: Original painting of rural landscape on a gear-like object. Signed by artist Roland Jr. 1980.
"Pattern of a gear YT-69 "
Material: Wood
"Flower-like pattern of a gear"
Material: Wood
Connection: Gears and nature
Note:
This antique gear pattern consists of two sides. By simply rotating the sides, the gear turns to a flower. The sign on a surface says "TALON INC".
"A gear or a flower?"
Material: Wood
Connection: Gears and nature
Note:
This flower-like vintage gear mold, foundry pattern is definitely designed by the person who has the deepest feeling to nature, especially the floral part of it :)
"Pattern of a gear number 77 with 4 spokes"
Material: Wood
"Industrial style earrings with gears"
Material: Metal, plastic
Origin: Made by Lunch at the Ritz in late 1980's.
"Vintage pattern of a sprocket with curved teeth"
Material: Wood
Size: D=440mm
"LA Gear bag"
Note: A wonderful addition to the 1980's geared earrings, is this neon colored bag made in 1980's. Notice that the company logo is placed inside a gear and even the zipper made as a yellow gear. Later LA Gear changed the logo and replaced the gear image with the Sun-like wheel.
"Antique foundry pattern of a sprocket number K177 with flat teeth"
Material: Wood
Origin: Plymouth, Ohio, USA
Size: D=515 mm
Note: This pattern was manufactured by Fate Root Heath Company.
"Vintage gear as a frame"
Material: Metal
Origin: Germany
Note: This machinery gear has been mounted on a matching metal base and a metal plate was attached to the back in order to make an interesting industrial looking frame for a picture or a clock. It is possible to be a souvenir presented to the best workers on a factory. The gear is actually have a serial number on a back which tells that this is a real gear taken from a piece of machinery or an automobile.
"Antique pattern of a gear number 103"
Material: Wood
"Medal of industrial union"
Origin: Uruguay, 1946
Material: Metal
Size: D=1 1/4"
"Antique pattern of a locomotive gear/sprocket number 130"
Origin: Plymouth, Ohio, USA
Material: Wood
Size: D=12"
Note: This pattern was manufactured by Fate Root Heath Company. It has very unusual design of the teeth. Notice that one tooth has a little groove which makes it look like a fish tail.
"Antique machine age brooch with an owl"
Origin: Vienna, Austria, early 1900's
Note: Emblem of Techniker Cercle
Material: Metal
Size: D=1 3/4"
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