c. 1880 Ore Furnace Patent Model with Patent Documents by James Bujac

Original patent model representing James Bujac's Ore Furnace and Reducer, patented November 9, 1880 (U.S. Patent No. 234,170). Constructed of hand-fabricated sheet metal, the model illustrates Bujac's proposed furnace design with a tapered ore hopper, firebox, flue openings, and hinged access doors corresponding to the patent drawings. Designed to process metalliferous ores, the invention employed a closed ore cylinder and retort system intended to reduce ores efficiently while allowing the apparatus to be built in either stationary or portable form. Accompanying the model is a framed Riker specimen mount containing the original patent documentation, including patent drawings and specifications associated with the invention. The model also retains its original linen identification tags tied to one of the side handles, providing additional period provenance and cataloging history.

James Bujac of Catonsville, Maryland was a prolific nineteenth-century inventor whose work centered on metallurgy and ore processing. His Ore Furnace and Reducer was patented on November 9, 1880, the same year the United States Patent Office discontinued its longstanding requirement that inventors submit physical patent models for most applications. As a result, surviving patent models from 1880, particularly those accompanied by their original patent paperwork and identification tags, are increasingly uncommon.

Displays age-related wear consistent with use and long-term storage. The sheet metal model exhibits oxidation, surface wear, scratches, and scattered discoloration throughout. The lower front includes two access openings with hinged doors; one door is missing, while the remaining door is present but does not remain closed, as photographed. The original linen identification tags remain attached but are fragile, with significant deterioration and handling wear. The documents rest in a Riker specimen box which exhibits light wear, and because it is nailed shut, the patent documents have not been removed for inspection. The papers rest on a foam bed, appear to consist of multiple stapled pages, and show typical age-related toning and creasing visible through the mount. Please review photographs for a complete assessment of condition.

Model: 8" L x 3" W x 11" H
Box: 8.25" W x 12" H

MM - 21894 - 072126

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