Dr. Ralph and Mrs. Olga Crawford Canadian Dental Collection
Category
Dental
Classification
Dental
Accession Number
010020348
Description
Black plastic rectangular amalgamator with sloping front; round metal dial, enamelled in white and red, with dashes around the edge and numbers 5-55; two silver metal arms come up from top, hold capsules for mixing; holes of various sizes in top for placing capsules; silver metal border around baseā¦
Black plastic rectangular amalgamator with sloping front; round metal dial, enamelled in white and red, with dashes around the edge and numbers 5-55; two silver metal arms come up from top, hold capsules for mixing; holes of various sizes in top for placing capsules; silver metal border around base; amalgamator sits on four round black rubber feet; black rubber electrical wire comes from back, ends in plug
Number Of Parts
1
Provenance
Transfer from the Dental Canada Fund; previously housed in the Dentistry Canada Museum (Ottawa)
(a) Printed on metal plaque at top: "CRESCENT DENTAL MFG. CO. // CHICAGO, // ILL. // SER.P- 71958 MADE IN // U.S.A. // WIG L BUG // AMALGAMATOR // 1.35 AMP 115 A.C. 60C. // CANADA PAT. 399,762 // PAT. NOS. 2,201,428 - 2,286,599 - 2.286.600 - AND FOREIGN PAT.PEND."; printed on dial: "WIG.L.BUG // CRESCENT // CHICAGO // TURN TO SET"
Permanent Location
Storage Room 0007
0007-D2-5
Dimension Notes
Length 25.1 cm x Width 16.1 cm x Depth 11.1 cm
Condition Remarks
Some corrosion on screws, dial
Copy Type
Original
Reference Types
Internet
Other
JPG
Reference Comments
"Free Patents Online" website; 010020347
CD #1
Research Facts
Dr Ralph and Mrs Olga Crawford donated their extensive Canadian dental collection to the DCF to create the museum in 1997; further donations were received while Dr Crawford was Curator Emeritus at the Dental Canada Museum until its closure in 2008; this item was donated by Dr. Roland Lafleche; the original Wig-L-Bug was patented in 1940; the inventor claimed that the amalgamator could produce an amalgam in only seven seconds, compared to the ninety seconds it took previously; instead of a mere vibrator, the capsule holding the metals and mercury would have the direction of its axes changed, and be moved in every essential way to produce a thorough amalgam