This hand-cranked animated toy is called, “Egg Drop Soup.” When the crank is turned several steel balls are raised to the top and then rolled out of a chute in succession. The ball will drop into the first bird’s mouth, then the upper half of the bird will pivot to drop the ball into the mouth of the next bird down. Each bird returns to an upright position after the ball is passed down. This continues down the line until the ball is dropped by the lowest bird into the soup bowl, where it is recirculated into the column of balls.
Mr. Petersen created a vast array of projects over his lifetime, ranging from miniature engines to hand-cranked animations and more. He built functional miniatures like a 1/3 scale Gatling gun or a 1/4 scale Case steam tractor, but he also built mechanical creations for the fun and enjoyment of his family. When Birk passed away in 2015, his family graciously donated over 150 items from his collection for display at the Miniature Engineering Craftsmanship Museum, where they are currently on display. We thank the Petersen family for sharing his extensive collection, which demonstrates the broad interests and many talents of Birk Petersen.