Horsepower Collection

James Watt, caricature C015 / 6706
James Watt (1736-1819). Caricature of the Scottish engineer and inventor James Watt. Watt made numerous practical improvements to the steam engine of his day

Fores Contrasts: The Driver of 1832, The Driver of 1852, engraved by John Harris
XYC208282 Fores Contrasts: The Driver of 1832, The Driver of 1852, engraved by John Harris (1811-65) 1852 (hand-coloured aquatint) by Alken

An engraving depicting the measuring of horsepower using Edme Regnier L'Aine's dynamometer
5311393 An engraving depicting the measuring of horsepower using Edme Regnier L'Aine's dynamometer. Edme Regnier L'Aine (1751-1825) a French pistol maker and engineer

Chesapeake & Ohio Canal - Canal Boat, 1917. Creator: Harris & Ewing. Chesapeake & Ohio Canal - Canal Boat, 1917
Chesapeake & Ohio Canal - Canal Boat, 1917. The C&O Canal operated from 1831 until 1924 along the Potomac River between Washington, D.C. and Cumberland, Maryland

Between Laton and Fowler, central San Joaquin Valley, California, 1938. Creator: Dorothea Lange
Between Laton and Fowler, central San Joaquin Valley, California. One man-one horse methods are rare in California

Cider-Making in Devonshire - Pound-House - the Mill and Press - Piling "The Mock", 1850. Creator: Unknown
Cider-Making in Devonshire - Pound-House - the Mill and Press - Piling "The Mock", 1850. View showing the...rollers

Widtsoe land use adjustment project, Garfield County, Utah, 1936. Creator: Dorothea Lange
Widtsoe land use adjustment project. Garfield County, Utah. Excavating new spillway of Tropic Dam

Sharecropper cultivating cotton with team, Near Shreveport, Louisiana, 1937. Creator: Dorothea Lange
Sharecropper cultivating cotton with team. This is a step above the primitive method. Near Shreveport, Louisiana

The cotton sharecropper's unit, Greene County, Georgia, 1937. Creator: Dorothea Lange
The cotton sharecropper's unit is one mule and the land he can cultivate with a one-horse plow. Greene County, Georgia

Fowler's New Subsoil Draining Plough, 1850. Creator: Unknown
Fowler's New Subsoil Draining Plough, 1850. An experimental trial of Fowler's Patent Draining Plough and Machinery took place...in a field at the back of Mr

Seven-horse disc used in cultivating corn, Tulare County, California, 1937. Creator: Dorothea Lange
Seven-horse disc used in cultivating corn. Tulare County, California

Disc drawn by seven horses used in the cornfields of California, Tulare County, California, 1937
Disc drawn by seven horses used in the cornfields of California. Tulare County

Disc drawn by seven horses used in the cornfields of California, Tulare County, California, 1937
Disc used in corn fields in California. It is drawn by seven horses. Tulare County, California

The Patent Impulsoria, 1850. Creator: Unknown
The Patent Impulsoria, 1850. This ingenious means of applying animal power to the working of railways, so as to supersede the costly locomotive engine, has lately been invented...The new machine

A pair of Suffolk Punch working horses pull a plough in a stubble field in Suffolk, England. A young woman leads the horses and a man handles the plough Date: 2010

Dame Margaret Rutherford and her 1909 8 H. P. Humber
Dame Margaret Rutherford (1892-1972), Lady Montagu of Beaulieu and her 1909 8 H.P. Humber car. Date: circa 1970

Downer Bellanca 14-13-3 Cruisair Senior HB-DUN (msn 1637), circa 1961. The model designation is based on the technical data of the machine. The number 14 means that the wing area is 14 square feet

DDE-90029760
Les Deux Chevaux, an old underpowered French car, parked facing the public square. Place Favier, Saint Remy de-Provence, France. Date: 18/03/2010

James Watt (engraving)
3058102 James Watt (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: James Watt (1736-1819) from Gallery of Portraits published in 1833 (after William Beechey)

Horsepower (chromolitho)
2817070 Horsepower (chromolitho) by European School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Horsepower. Educational card, late 19th or early 20th century.); © Look and Learn

Parry Thomas, racing driver, inspecting 400 hp engine
Parry Thomas, motor racing driver, inspecting the 400 hp engine on Babs, the car which he designed, gaining a world land speed record of 170.6 mph. circa 1920s

First 4 HP Daimler engine for an airship

Charles Jarrott driving a 40 HP Panhard
Early Motor Car Racing - Charles Jarrott at the wheel of a 40 HP Panhard in the Paris-Berlin Race of 1901. 1901

50 HP Napier Racing Car
Early Motor Car Racing - 50 HP Napier Racing Car. 1901

Roman Ballistic Machinery, from the Encyclopedie des Sciences et Metiers
STC182334 Roman Ballistic Machinery, from the Encyclopedie des Sciences et Metiers by Denis Diderot (1713-84), published c.1770 (engraving) by French School

Workers at Montmartre, 1858 (oil on canvas)
5615143 Workers at Montmartre, 1858 (oil on canvas) by Pinkas, (Hippolyt) Soboslav (1827-1901); 127x86 cm; Narodni Galerie, Prague

Interior of a flour mill in Florence
CH35138 Interior of a flour mill in Florence by Liebermann, Max (1847-1935); Private Collection; Photo eChristies Images; German, out of copyright

Work Horse

Unidentified biplane (Friedrichshafen?), powered by a 150PS Benz Bz.III engine. (PS= Pferd starke - a German equivalent of horsepower) Date: 1914

Fiedler 1910 Eindecker powered by a 50 PS Daimler engine. (PS= Pferd starke - a German equivalent of horsepower) Paul Fiedler was one of Austrias early aviation pioneers

Albatros WRE. 1 16 amphibian monoplane
Albatros WRE.1 16 amphibian monoplane at Bodensee. The third RE.1 monoplane, powered by a 100PS Mercedes D.I, 6-cylinder in-line engine, was fitted with floats to make it amphibious

EyeUbiquitous_20120698
Scotland, Fakirk, The 2013 Kelpies Sculpture by Andy Scott in the Helix parkland project by the Forth and Clyde Canal

Cider Making, 1840-41. Creator: William Sidney Mount
Cider Making, 1840-41

Pony and trap on the island of Innishmore, Aran Islands
Travel is mostly done by horse and trap or bicycle on the island of Innishmore, Aran Islands, Ireland Date: 1991

Farmer with horse and cart, Cantabria, Spain
A farmer stands holding his horse and cart in the foothills of the Picos de Europa mountains, Cantabria, Spain Date: 1989

Muck cart, Cantabria, Spain - 3
A Spanish farmer using a horse drawn muck cart in the foothills of the Picos de Europa mountains, Cantabria, Spain Date: 1989

Muck cart, Cantabria, Spain - 2
A Spanish farmer using a horse drawn muck cart in the foothills of the Picos de Europa mountains, Cantabria, Spain Date: 1989

Muck cart, Cantabria, Spain - 1
A Spanish farmer using a horse drawn muck cart in the foothills of the Picos de Europa mountains, Cantabria, Spain Date: 1989

Riley MPH 2-Seater Sports, c1920s. Advertisement for 11 hp car costing £ 495: To the Great Hills with a light heart and no nerves

Roman marble relief of a bakers oven and corn mill
Roman marble relief of a bakers oven (above) and horse-driven corn mill (below)

Armstrong Whitworth Whitley medium bomber plane
Armstrong Whitworth AW38 Whitley British front line medium bomber plane with two 800hp Siddeley Tiger VIII engines, used during the Second World War. Date: 1937-1945

The 1910 Austin Ascot Car. From The Story Of 25 Eventful Years In Pictures, Published 1935

Hawker Fury British fighter biplane
Hawker Fury K2048 British fighter biplane with 480hp Rolls Royce Kestrel engine. Date: 1931-1949

Blackburn Botha British bomber plane
Blackburn B26 Botha British four-seat reconnaissance and torpedo bomber plane, with 900hp Bristol Perseus engines, used during the Second World War. Date: 1939-1944

Aquitania and Vaterland compared by G. H. Davis
The Aquitania (British) and Vaterland (German) compared. Showing their relative length, displacement, engines and horsepower. Date: 1914

AJS Motorcycle
13th November 1930: An AJS 3.49 horsepower motorcycle at the Motor Cycle Show at Olympia, London. (Photo by Davies/Topical Press Agency/Getty Images)

Waverley threshing machine, USA
Waverley & Co threshing machine with gas 22hp engine (horse-drawn), USA. Date: circa 1910s

Hawker Hart British light bomber biplane
Hawker Hart K3025 British two-seat light bomber biplane with 480hp Rolls Royce Kestrel engine. Date: early 1930s

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"Horsepower: From the Driver of 1832 to Modern Marvels" In the world of transportation, it has evolved from humble beginnings to awe-inspiring feats. Fores Contrasts: The Driver of 1832, The Driver of 1852, engraved by John Harris captures this journey through time. James Watt, depicted in caricature C015 / 6706, revolutionized the concept with his steam engine invention. This marked a turning point in history as machines began to replace manual labor. Yet amidst these technological advancements, traditional horsepower remained essential. A pair of Suffolk Punch working horses pulling a plough exemplifies the enduring strength and reliability that horses have provided throughout centuries. As innovation soared higher than ever before, Armstrong Whitworth Whitley medium bomber plane took flight with its powerful engines propelling it forward. The Downer Bellanca 14-13-3 Cruisair Senior HB-DUN showcased how even aircraft could harness immense power for long-distance travel. The Hawker Fury British fighter biplane demonstrated the agility and speed made possible by increased horsepower. Meanwhile, Blackburn Botha British bomber plane highlighted how this force was utilized for military purposes during times of conflict. Beyond transportation alone, G. H Davis compared Aquitania and Vaterland - two grand ocean liners - showcasing their impressive size and capacity driven by massive amounts of horsepower. However, let us not forget those who pushed boundaries on land as well. Parry Thomas stands tall in front of a mighty 400 hp engine; an emblematic figure representing racing drivers who fearlessly embraced raw power on wheels. From James Watt's groundbreaking inventions to modern-day marvels like airplanes and ships powered by unimaginable forces – whether measured in horse or machine – horsepower continues to shape our world with its relentless drive towards progress.