Our Collection

At the Institute’s core is the Gilder Lehrman Collection, one of the great archives in American history. More than 85,000 items cover five hundred years of American history, from Columbus’s 1493 letter describing the New World through the end of the twentieth century.

McClelland, Robert, 1807-1880 [Patent for Matthias Baldwin's improvements in steam engine cut-off valves]

Order a pdf of this item here.

Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC00064 Author/Creator: McClelland, Robert, 1807-1880 Place Written: Washington, District of Columbia Type: Document signed Date: September 13,1853 Pagination: 4 p. : Height: 52 cm, Width: 37.2 cm Order a Copy

Signed by Robert McClelland as Secretary of the Interior. Countersigned by Charles Mason as Commissioner of Patents. Baldwin's written description of his improvement is signed by Henry Simpson and Daniel McKinley as witnesses. Includes a one page diagram depicting Baldwin's invention. Contains a blue paper seal and light blue ribbon. Top of the first page is decorated with a detailed patriotic engraving along with the notes: Drawn by A.A. Von Schmidt and Eng'd by W.H. Dougal.

Baldwin, Matthias William, 1795-1866
Mason, Charles, 1804-1882
McClelland, Robert, 1807-1880
McKinley, Daniel, fl. 1853
Simpson, Henry, 1790-1868

Citation Guidelines for Online Resources