Twentieth Century
The Giant Typewriter of the Panama-Pacific International Exposition
Visit this blog for tons more photos and the whole fascinating history of this device. I will say that the author misses mentioning one iconic way that the notion of a giant typewriter remained afloat in the culture. Any Boomer knows that it figured in a classic Batman adventure.
Posted By: Paul - Sun Feb 20, 2022 -
Comments (1)
Category: Excess, Overkill, Hyperbole and Too Much Is Not Enough, Expositions, World Fairs, Celebrations, Twentieth Century
The Duke of Paducah
If I might rephrase a famous statement for our WU purposes: The past is a weird country--there's a lot of weirdos there.His Wikipedia entry.
Posted By: Paul - Sat Feb 12, 2022 -
Comments (0)
Category: Hillbillies, Country Bumpkins, Ruralism and Flyover Country, Humor, Twentieth Century
Stramonium Cigarettes: Smoking to Relieve Asthma
Long professional article on their history here.The relevant info at Wikipedia.
Posted By: Paul - Tue Feb 01, 2022 -
Comments (2)
Category: Nature, Patent Medicines, Nostrums and Snake Oil, Nineteenth Century, Twentieth Century, Diseases
Bob Hermines’s Midgets Band
At this link, you will find several digitized pages from their official handbook.
Posted By: Paul - Sat Jan 29, 2022 -
Comments (2)
Category: Human Marvels, Music, Twentieth Century, Differently Abled, Handicapped, Challenged, and Otherwise Atypical
Grandma Prisbey’s Bottle Village
The official website.Many more pics here.
Posted By: Paul - Sun Jan 23, 2022 -
Comments (0)
Category: Architecture, Eccentrics, Regionalism, Twentieth Century
Lorett Fulkerson, the Last Performing Tattooed Lady
Was this gal, still performing in the 1990s, the last of her kind, an old-fashioned circus/sideshow performer? Maybe some current hipster performance piece features a tattooed female of this caliber. But it seems unlikely, so common is tattooing these days, even to the similar extent of Lorett's body, 90% inked.Some info at her Find A Grave site.
Posted By: Paul - Tue Jan 18, 2022 -
Comments (4)
Category: Human Marvels, Tattoos, Twentieth Century, Circuses, Carnivals, and Other Traveling Shows
Rejuvenique Facial Toning Mask
Still being made and sold! Get yours via the Amazon link below!
Posted By: Paul - Tue Jan 04, 2022 -
Comments (3)
Category: Beauty, Ugliness and Other Aesthetic Issues, Body Modifications, Inventions, Technology, Twentieth Century, Twenty-first Century
Calcreose
No longer will tuberculosis sufferers have to lick telephone poles for the creosote and hang out at lime quarries inhaling the dust, for now Calcreose supplies all of those vital ingredients which you can stomach. Apparently good for a hundred ailments.
Posted By: Paul - Mon Jan 03, 2022 -
Comments (4)
Category: Patent Medicines, Nostrums and Snake Oil, Twentieth Century
The Living Christmas Tree
Alex and I will be making an announcement soon, about where all WU-vies can meet up to form such a seasonal tribute. Bring your own robe.
Posted By: Paul - Wed Dec 15, 2021 -
Comments (4)
Category: Excess, Overkill, Hyperbole and Too Much Is Not Enough, Holidays, Christmas, Human Marvels, Twentieth Century
Artwork Khrushchev Probably Would Not Have Liked 40
Raymond Duchamp-Villon.
His Wikipedia page.
Sculpture page.
Posted By: Paul - Wed Dec 08, 2021 -
Comments (2)
Category: Animals, Avant Garde, Statues and Monuments, Nineteenth Century, Twentieth Century
| Who We Are |
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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 |