Cast Iron Hubley Motorcycle with driver. Red "Indian" motorcycle with sidecar has a removable policeman with uniform, goggles, badge, sidearm, cap, boots and gloves. Cycle is painted red with silver handlebars, engine and highlights; sidecar seat is black. Decal on left side of gas tank has "Indian" on gold ground. Policeman is painted black with silver goggles, badge and buckle; face is pink. Three tires are marked "HUBLEY MFG CO. BALLOON" w/ size and "CORD". Metal "clicker" underneath. Sidecar policeman missing.
Moderate overall wear with soiling and significant scattered rusting and corrosion. All tires are flattened with some additional deformation.
Object ID
2010.023.2
Notes
Hubley Toy Company produced many different models, sizes and compositions of motorcycles during the years they were in production. Most of the motorcycles were based on Harley Davidson and Indian in the earlier years and then expanding to the BMW and perhaps others. Indian models are the most sought-after and have the highest value.
Hubley cast iron toy road roller based on actual roller made by Huber Mfg. Co. of Marion, Ohio. Tractor-like vehicle is green with red wheels. Long, thin body has single set of roller wheels at front and large roller wheels at back. At rear are a detachable cylinder tank and attached rake with wheels.
Gold-colored tank is embossed "HUBER" on both sides. Name is repeated within small molded ovals at both sides of front and on front grill body. Underside marked "HUBLEY" in raised letters. Various number on underside of various components.
Losses of paint, esp. on wheels and upper surface of vehicle. Rust and corrosion on unpainted surface. Break at one arm of rake attachment, underneath. Driver apparently missing.
Object ID
2010.023.3
Notes
The Smithsonian writes: "The Hubley Manufacturing Company of Lancaster Pennsylvania, became one of the nation's premier toy making companies. Incorporated in 1894, the company made eletric train related equipment before moving into the toy business in 1909. The toys were made of cast iron, and were often modeled on actual vehicles or machinery. The Huber mark refers to the Huber Manufacturing Company. Inventor and industrialist Edward Huber's Huber Manufacturing Company made farm machinery in Marion, Ohio. The company is credited with inventing the first workable gasoline tractor. It als manufactured road-building equipment."
This frog doorstop serves as an iconic symbol of James Buchanan's attachment to his favorite spring at his Wheatland farm, and was donated because it was an appropriate piece.
Lignum vitas wood caster with round, bowl-like top, pierced for shaking out pounce. Base is ring-turned tapers smaller to broad top, flat bottom. Small, shallow dotted pattern in two bands near bottom. Lip at top has thin groove. Top screws onto base that would be filled with pounce, which is a fine powder made from powdered cuttlefish bone. Pounce was used both to dry ink and to sprinkle on a rough writing surface to make it smooth enough for writing.
Esther 'Hetty' Parker, James Buchanan's housekeeper, chose this among several other household items that Buchanan noted she was to be allowed to choose after his death. Miss Hetty gave this to the daughter of her neighbor. Miss Steckman donated this to the Wheatland collection in 1938.
