1930s
How to live without a woman
Alexander Wright's 1937 book, How To Live Without A Woman, was a celebration of bachelorhood. But it seems that Wright's strategy for life without a woman was to get his female friends to feel sorry for him and do his housework for him.Doesn't really seem like he was living without a woman if he was still getting women to do all his work. And you have to wonder how long he managed to keep any female friends before they figured out what was going on.
Pittsburgh Press - Sep 18, 1938
Posted By: Alex - Tue Jan 31, 2023 -
Comments (2)
Category: Gender, Men, Women, Books, 1930s
Miss Northwest Territories
Article source.
Posted By: Paul - Sun Jan 08, 2023 -
Comments (1)
Category: Awards, Prizes, Competitions and Contests, Beauty, Ugliness and Other Aesthetic Issues, 1930s, Native Americans
Shelter Suit
From 1939. Something casual to throw on when the air-raid signal sounds. Plus, "the wearer is safe from mustard gas, because it will stand penetration for one hour."Wear it in a blast-resistant house and you'd have no worries.
Derby Evening Telegraph - Oct 24, 1939
New York Daily News - Oct 2, 1939
Related post: Air Raid Apparel
Posted By: Alex - Wed Jan 04, 2023 -
Comments (4)
Category: Fashion, War, 1930s
Nature’s air is best…
...for naked kite flying.I know times have changed, but even back in the 1930s this must have struck people as odd.
Saturday Evening Post - 1930s. Source: All-American Ads — 30s
Posted By: Alex - Thu Dec 15, 2022 -
Comments (4)
Category: Advertising, 1930s
The Beauty Queen of Neptune
Long Beach, California: 1936. The queen of the Neptunes Electrical Extravaganza which will be staged over the Olympic Rowing Course on May 6th in Long Beach.
Posted By: Paul - Sun Dec 11, 2022 -
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Category: Awards, Prizes, Competitions and Contests, Beauty, Ugliness and Other Aesthetic Issues, Oceans and Maritime Pursuits, Parades and Festivals, 1930s
Trapdoor for bank tellers
I'm aware of quite a few inventions designed to trap or incapacitate bank robbers. But the idea of allowing a bank teller to abruptly vanish is more novel.Of course, this approach could only work if there was a single teller working, and hopefully no other customers in the bank.
I was curious whether this bank with the cashier trapdoor might still exist, but I had no luck finding its address. I did find that it was acquired by another bank in 1948. So it was probably demolished long ago.
Hagerstown Morning Herald - Aug 9, 1932
Posted By: Alex - Mon Nov 28, 2022 -
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Category: Crime, Inventions, Money, 1930s
Signorina Grandi Firme
Le Grandi Firme (The Great Signatures) was an Italian literary magazine published as a fortnightly review from 1924 to 1936, and as a weekly review from 1937 to 1938. The weekly edition featured cover artwork by Gino Boccasile that always depicted an attractive young woman in a tight dress. These cover women became known as the "Signorine Grandi Firme."
The Signorine Grandi Firme became so popular that they inspired a national beauty contest to find a real-life "Signorina Grandi Firme," or Miss Grandi Firme. This was one of Italy's first beauty contests. It was won by 19-year-old Barbara Nardi.
Unfortunately I haven't been able to find any photos of Barbara Nardi, even though she went on to appear in a number of Italian movies.
Soon after the contest, Mussolini ordered the magazine to cease publication. Apparently he found its popularity to be a threat.
The beauty contest also inspired a swing song, Signorina Grandi Firme, sung by Carlo Moreno and the Trio Lescano.
More info: listal.com, MissItalia.it
Update: Paul succeeded in finding a photo of Barbara Nardi in an old Italian film magazine.
"The beautiful smile of Barbara Nardi"
Cinema - Apr 23, 1940
Posted By: Alex - Thu Nov 10, 2022 -
Comments (3)
Category: Awards, Prizes, Competitions and Contests, 1930s
Farmer of the Future
Posted By: Alex - Sat Oct 22, 2022 -
Comments (3)
Category: Farming, 1930s, Yesterday’s Tomorrows
Jane’s skin didn’t pass the love test
Jane didn't use Lux Toilet Soap. So she was doomed to be forever alone.Previously posted: Lux ads about "undie odor" and gossiping underwear. During the 1930s and 40s, Lux Soap specialized in ads designed to terrify women into buying its products.
San Francisco Examiner - June 18, 1939
Posted By: Alex - Fri Oct 07, 2022 -
Comments (0)
Category: Advertising, Baths, Showers and Other Cleansing Methods, 1930s, Love & Romance
The Water Unicycle
Full patent here.
POPULAR MECHANICS source.
Posted By: Paul - Sat Oct 01, 2022 -
Comments (0)
Category: Inventions, Chindogu, Patents, Oceans and Maritime Pursuits, Ridiculousness, Foolishness, Public Ridicule, Silliness, Goofiness and Dumb-looking, 1930s, 1940s
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| Alex Boese Alex is the creator and curator of the Museum of Hoaxes. He's also the author of various weird, non-fiction, science-themed books such as Elephants on Acid and Psychedelic Apes. Paul Di Filippo Paul has been paid to put weird ideas into fictional form for over thirty years, in his career as a noted science fiction writer. He has recently begun blogging on many curious topics with three fellow writers at The Inferior 4+1. Contact Us |