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Author Topic: Hour Ball Steam Toy (Josef Falk No. 219) from the Morton A. Hirschberg Steam Toy Collection  (Read 1057 times)

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Hour Ball Steam Toy (Josef Falk No. 219) from the Morton A. Hirschberg Steam Toy Collection
« on: April 01, 2019, 09:32:26 pm »
A fun little accessory. I bought the lot for the Bing Drop Hammer. And this was a bonus. 🤠

I have no idea of the Maker. Any help would be appreciated. UPDATE: Identified by Walter as a Josef Falk No. 219.

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Re: Hour Ball Steam Toy from the Morton A. Hirschberg Steam Toy Collection
« Reply #1 on: April 01, 2019, 10:31:47 pm »
Well, that's different!
crazydoug
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Re: Hour Ball Steam Toy from the Morton A. Hirschberg Steam Toy Collection
« Reply #2 on: April 01, 2019, 11:25:43 pm »
One heck of an awesome bonus Charlie

Might have to build an Erector set bell ringer like this...
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Nick

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Re: Hour Ball Steam Toy from the Morton A. Hirschberg Steam Toy Collection
« Reply #3 on: April 02, 2019, 08:09:08 am »
A very nice rarity there Charlie, thanks for sharing  :)
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Cheers
Jan
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Re: Hour Ball Steam Toy (Josef Falk No. 219) from the Morton A. Hirschberg Steam Toy Collection
« Reply #4 on: April 02, 2019, 10:54:20 am »
Doug, Nick and Jan:

Thanks for the feedback.

It was a great bonus and cleaned up well.

Charlie
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Re: Hour Ball Steam Toy (Josef Falk No. 219) from the Morton A. Hirschberg Steam Toy Collection
« Reply #5 on: April 03, 2019, 09:57:43 am »
Really different and interesting.
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Carl "There is a better way for everything. Find it."TAE

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Re: Hour Ball Steam Toy (Josef Falk No. 219) from the Morton A. Hirschberg Steam Toy Collection
« Reply #6 on: April 03, 2019, 11:10:44 am »
Parallelmotion enlightened me on the history of Hour Balls and their function before the industrial age:

"They were used in ports and dropped at specific times so that mariners could set their ship's chronometers accordingly. Now we only drop one in Times Square at New Years."

He also recommended a book by Dava Sobel entitled "Longitude" about John Harrison, an 18th-century clockmaker who created the first clock (chronometer) sufficiently accurate to be used to determine longitude at sea—an important development in navigation.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Longitude_(book)
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Re: Hour Ball Steam Toy (Josef Falk No. 219) from the Morton A. Hirschberg Steam Toy Collection
« Reply #7 on: April 03, 2019, 12:29:09 pm »
There was also a docudrama put out by PBS or History channel I think, entitled "Longitude", and is an excellent video documenting the trials and tribulations of Mr. Harrison against engrained governmental stasis, prejudice, gross incompetence and corruption .... were it ever thus!!!
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Re: Hour Ball Steam Toy (Josef Falk No. 219) from the Morton A. Hirschberg Steam Toy Collection
« Reply #8 on: April 03, 2019, 08:19:06 pm »
Thank you for the added history from Brent
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Nick

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Re: Hour Ball Steam Toy (Josef Falk No. 219) from the Morton A. Hirschberg Steam Toy Collection
« Reply #9 on: April 06, 2019, 06:04:34 pm »
Quote from: Nick on April 03, 2019, 08:19:06 pm
Thank you for the added history from Brent

You are Welcome Nick!

Today, I got a copy of Dava Sobel's book "Longitude, The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of his Time". 

An excellent read so far.
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Re: Hour Ball Steam Toy (Josef Falk No. 219) from the Morton A. Hirschberg Steam Toy Collection
« Reply #10 on: April 06, 2019, 10:09:48 pm »
Thank you for sharing the Hour Ball and thank you for the history lesson!

Gil
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Re: Hour Ball Steam Toy (Josef Falk No. 219) from the Morton A. Hirschberg Steam Toy Collection
« Reply #11 on: April 07, 2019, 06:10:19 pm »
Quote from: RedRyder on April 06, 2019, 10:09:48 pm
Thank you for sharing the Hour Ball and thank you for the history lesson!

Gil

Glad I could reciprocate (for once) Gil.

Every time I visit with you I get a new history lesson on something related to steam engines or hit and miss engines. 😎
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