Bruce Rosenbaum’s “Velocipede Time Machine” lands in its forever home, welcoming guests who visit the “The Nation of Inventors” – the first permanent Patent Model exhibition in the world celebrating American innovation and showcasing a collection of Hagley’s 5,000+ U.S. Patent Models
The United States has a rich history of honoring invention and promoting ingenuity. It is said, that much like today, the founding fathers and early political pundits would debate every governing detail.
Save for one topic that they could all agree on – a robust patent office and system for protecting the creative ideas and intellectual property of its citizens would be monumental in building a strong country.
The U.S. Patent office has now surpassed 10 Million patents issued. Before patent applications became so voluminous, officials required inventors to submit patent models – tiny replicas of the devices, products, and innovations they wished to design and build.
Enter Bruce Rosenbaum, Reimagineer and owner of ModVic, LLC, who was contacted in 2019 by Hagley officials who wanted to commission a one-of-a-kind Steampunk sculpture to capture the imagination of visitors who are about to explore this creative slice of American history – experiencing the sights, sounds, and interactive displays in their new Nation of Inventors exhibit.
A Team of Artists and Experts
The final sculpture was installed in late April 2021. It weighs close to a ½ ton (literally). Constructed from new steel, aluminum, and metal parts, as well as historic artifacts and repurposed items – its center console is a late 19th Century dental chair and related dental equipment – complete with motorized kinetic movement and LED lighting –it takes a coordinated team effort to design, fabricate, and deliver a project of this magnitude.
After rallying the troops with a vision illustrated by concept artist Jim Su, CAD illustrations were developed, materials were ordered, and work was underway by Sam Ostroff and his crew at Salmon Studios in Florence, MA.
As the final touches were applied, Rosenbaum was helped by illustrator and artist Brett Kelley, who painted the life size Humachine, putting the alternative Rosenbaum squarely in the driver’s seat.
Melanie Rosenbaum was the artist responsible for finalizing the Velocipede patent model, painting the miniature Bruce Humachine to match the full-size sculpture.
ModVic’s creative process starts with research and inspiration from the past. Hagley’s collection of patent models offered real life examples – American inventors who came from a variety of industries and backgrounds.The 3 patent models that inspired Rosenbaum’s Velocipede Time Machine were a velocipede, steam governor balls and an electro-magnetic dynamo motor.
Concept drawings by Jim Su and CAD illustrations served to guide the team of artists and technicians.
The team of artists, welders, and craftsmen began initial inventory and planning in Florence,
