Discovering Quirky Inventions Of Days Gone By

History is filled with curious designs crafted by innovative thinkers. From flying bicycles to amphibious bikes, they invented them to solve problems and improve life. Despite emerging from bold experiments and endless imagination, they are so weird. 

While some may seem odd today, they reflect an adventurous spirit and a curiosity to explore new ideas. Join us as we rediscover these forgotten creations.

1. Facial Snow Shield

This fascinating image from 1939 shows a unique and rather unconventional attempt at headgear design: plastic face protectors intended for use during snowstorms in Montreal, Canada. 

The weird shield, named “Plastic sneeuwstormbeschermer” in Dutch, translates to “plastic snowstorm protector.” These devices were designed to shield the face from harsh weather conditions but ultimately didn’t become widely adopted. 

These facial snow shields show the creative but unusual ways people tried to deal with bad weather. Their sharp, triangular shapes definitely catch the eye, though their practicality might be questionable by today’s standards.

2. Gas Attack Baby Stroller

This photo, taken in England in 1938, depicted a woman wearing a gas mask and pushing a gas-resistant pram. FW Mills designed the pram to protect babies from gas attacks. 

During World War II, the fear of gas attacks led to the widespread use of gas masks, with Britain issuing over 35 million, including special ones for children and babies. 

The pram highlights the extreme safety measures of the time and socio-economic disparities, as many working-class families couldn’t afford it. Its practicality is debatable today but reflects the lengths people went to for safety during dangerous times.

3. Bronze Lips

In 1972, a firm on “South Mountain Passage” in Garrison promoted personalized bronze lips by mail order as Christmas gifts. “No other girl has ever given him this, no other ever can.”  

For $21.75, the “Take-My-Lips Kit” allowed users to mold their lips and send the impression for casting. Additional castings cost $15 each, with an optional walnut base for $2. 

The product offered various mounting options, such as neck chains, belt buckles, and biceps bands. The foundry guarantees quick turnaround and encourages early orders for Christmas delivery. 

4. The Isolator

“The Isolator” was an anti-distraction helmet designed by Hugo Gernsback in 1925. The wooden helmet blocks out sound and vision, helping the wearer focus on their task. 

Gernsback claimed it reduced noise by up to 95 percent, with a small glass spy-hole to prevent distractions from movement. This unusual invention aimed to enhance concentration by creating a nearly sensory-deprived environment. 

5. Rocket-Propelled Bicycles

This 1931 photograph captures a German engineer getting ready to test his innovative rocket bicycle. The bike featured 12 rockets mounted on the back wheel, aiming to boost its speed dramatically. 

Unfortunately, shortly after the photo was taken, the bicycle exploded. Despite the dramatic accident, the engineer escaped with only minor injuries.

6. Cigarette Case to Keep Track

In 1940, a clever cigarette case was invented to help smokers manage their supplies. It featured two buttons: one for personal use and one for when a friend asked for a cigarette. 

This design allowed the owner to track how many cigarettes they smoked versus how many they gave away. It provided useful information for deciding whether to continue sharing or conserve their cigarettes.

7. Wooden Bathing Suits

In this 1929 photo from Haquian, Washington, USA, four women are shown wearing wooden bathing suits designed to make swimming easier.

These unique and somewhat impractical swimwear pieces were part of a brief trend in swimwear fashion. The wooden panels were intended to provide buoyancy, though their practicality and comfort were likely questionable. 

8. Glamour Bonnet

This beauty treatment from 1941 aimed to improve a lady’s complexion using a vacuum device. It involved covering the entire head in plastic, which looks quite alarming. 

The photo shows one woman looking worried while holding an air hose and another woman smiling as she holds the plastic bag over her head. 

Despite the ominous appearance, the text describes this as a “glamorous” beauty treatment, assuring readers it wasn’t a form of torture.

9. Dimple Machine

In the early 1900s, Isabella Gilbert of Rochester, NY, invented a device called the dimple machine. This beauty aid featured a face-fitting spring with two tiny knobs designed to press into the cheeks, creating dimples over time. 

The invention promised to help women achieve the coveted dimpled look without surgery. This ad reflected the era’s interest in beauty innovations and mechanical solutions for enhancing appearance.

10. Glide-O-Bike

The 1920s ad for the “Glide-O-Bike” offers boys a chance to learn the principles of flying for just 25 cents. This innovative bike combines elements of a glider and a bicycle, promising real flying thrills. 

The ad emphasizes hands-on practice and encourages boys to embrace the adventure of flight. The “Glide-O-Bike” represents the era’s enthusiasm for aviation and mechanical ingenuity, inviting young enthusiasts to experience the excitement of flying firsthand.

11. Entire Family Bike

This peculiar bike from 1939, called the Goofybike, turned family time into an eccentric affair. Dad and Brother pedaled, Mom operated her sewing machine mounted on the bike, and Sister enjoyed the ride. Poor Mom never got a break, even during family recreation.

12. Solar Bath Apparatus

What could be more unconventional for treating a cold than a dose of radiation? This device, enclosing the head in a metal drum, used ultraviolet rays for therapy. 

The Solar Bath Apparatus aimed to treat catarrh in the ears, nose, and throat, as well as other head-related illnesses.

13. Eye Exerciser

The Eye Exerciser Apparatus, invented by Dr. William I. Henry of Akron, Ohio, in the 1930s, aimed to strengthen eye muscles through exercise. This device, resembling a carnival wheel, featured toy animals attached to a rotating disc. 

Patients would place their chin on a rest and watch the animals’ movements as the disc spun at different speeds. This activity was designed to provide eye muscle exercise, helping improve vision strength.

14. Amphibious Bike

The amphibious bicycle from 1932, known as the Cyclomer, was invented by a French engineer. This innovative bike featured large hollow floats on the wheels to travel on both land and water. 

The Cyclomer, capable of carrying up to 120 pounds, was shown at a Paris exposition. The inventor successfully navigated it across a swimming pool, proving its buoyancy and practical functionality.

15. Wonder Sauna Hot Pants

The “Wonder Sauna Hot Pants” was a highly popular product in the 1970s designed to help users lose weight by sweating. These pants, made from heat-reflective materials, promised to reduce inches through the intense heat they generated. 

By targeting areas like the hips, thighs, and buttocks, the product aimed to provide a sauna-like experience, claiming to promote rapid weight loss. 

The marketing of Wonder Sauna Hot Pants capitalized on the decade’s fitness and body image trends, making it one of the most iconic and bizarre products of the era.