Watch Maker's Steam Engine

[GreenTwin]

This engine is listed on ebay, 1878 watch maker's engine with reverse.

I often get asked by the general public at engine shows "what do/did your engines do?".
Its a question I hear over and over again, and the general public has absolutely no clue what a steam engine is, or what it would be used for.
Folks have no idea about motive power in the pre-electricity era.

I know some of the twin steam engines were used because they did not have a dead center, and so could be easily reversed in any position, such as the Dake, or the green twin in my avatar.

I have to guess there were steam engine powered sewing machines, although the foot treadle Singer sewing machine was very common in this area. Machine tools were generally driven via line shafts, although I have seen steam engines belted to individual small steam engines.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/256538067396?itmmeta=01J05WHR78ZK9XETX6MYXQ8BZZ&hash=item3bbadc41c4:g:XREAAOSwaIdmZLHF&itmprp=enc:AQAJAAAAwADMxgi/NO5VeTMXBy316mGf3558LwG/OKvEd5b+aGZhLDf02VfT4YoSPg7ee/UW4SOMqA4LzFSnrZ6CoZTwCfNTT+1tp/tlUrnyYZG1i8T+VZ6kU1ZKeBhZiy1kWDRAI0oUfeiRPADL4rOKsgIQggbYVMuThaMzA9ibZBeIEV3pXu2iki/Gk2gtjFuGsPXRSoN+tpGPi+yE2sjdWjwLpm2uMZVsswK70sq2ELPVEYuit+B5qRbRsA7tuqQ96aSZKg==|tkp:Bk9SR4CEx7yBZA

These are not my photos (used for educational purposes).
The flywheel has a rather distinct Cretors look to it.

.

 

[GreenTwin]

There is a caphead screw on the end of the reverse lever, so that perhaps that was added in modern times.

It could actually be a Cretors engine; I seem to recall seeing one like this with a boiler.

.