Summary

Otis lift control mechanism, circa 1890.
In her Master's thesis research, Patricia Draper speculated that this lift (elevator) mechanism may have come from The Premier Building Association Building. Built at 229 Collins Street in 1889. Paraphrasing Michael Cannon's book 'The Landboomers', she wrote that "The most interesting point noted in this description is that an Otis elevator powered by a gas engine carried people to the offices, each of which was furnished with a gas heater fitted into the wall. This building was demolished in 1964. If Whelan the Wrecker was the demolisher, this could well be wherer the lift control...came from." (Patricia Draper, Research Report, 1997, History and Technology Department supplementary files).

Physical Description

Heavy metal, brass, object, made by Otis and once used to control a passenger lift (elevator) in a building. The mechanism, in the shape of a rectangle with a curved semi-circular top, has a handle on the top which rotates on a circular plate. Below are several switches, to provide for emergency Stop, emergency operation, lights etc. The mechanism was probably used by a lift operator inside the lift. The wooden handle is well-worn. The top plate was moved to the left when the lift was to move down, and to the right when it moved up. Some cut electrical cords protrude from the bottom of the mechanism.

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