Evolution of human kind has always been an intriguing process. From the world of vacuum tubes to today’s nanotechnology, the journey has been a great one. But, it’s not like people in the early 20th century were not innovative. They had some of the most amazing inventions at that time. Let’s have a look at some of the most amazing and strange inventions from between the 1920s and 1930s:
1. Bulletproof Glass (1931)
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| Bulletproof glass, demonstration by the best rifle man of the New York police, 1931. |
2. Single Wheel Motorcycle (1931)
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| One wheel motorcycle (invented by Italian M. Goventosa de Udine). Maximum speed: 150 kilometers per hour ( 93 Mph). |
3. Life Jackets Made From Bicycle Tubing (1925)
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| A group of youngsters tied a bike tyre around the body as a swimming aid. Germany, 1925. |
4. Wooden Bathing Suits (1929)
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| Wooden bathing suits, supposed to make swimming a lot easier. Haquian, Washington, USA, 1929. |
5. Radio Stroller (1921)
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| Stroller equipped with a radio, including antenna and loudspeaker, to keep the baby quiet; USA, 1921. |
6. Hat With Integrated Radio (1931)
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| Portable radio in a straw hat, made by an American inventor in 1931. |
7. Clap Skate (1936)
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| In 1936, inventor R. Handl came up with the movable heel plate, but it wasn’t until 1996 that this concept revolutionized skating. |
8. Extensible Caravan (1934)
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| Extensible caravan, built by a French engineer. France, location unknown, 1934. |
9. Piano For the Bedridden (1935)
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| Piano especially designed for people confined to bedrest; Great Britain, 1935. |
10. Hamblin Glasses (1936)
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| A pair of spectacles especially designed for reading in bed. England, 1936. |
11. All Terrain Vehicle (1931)
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| This all-terrain car can descend slopes up to 65 degrees; England, 1936. |
12. Electrically Heated Jacket (1932)
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| Electrically heated vest, developed for the traffic police in the United States, 1932. The power is supplied by electric contacts in the street. |
13. Loetafoon (1929)
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| A turntable linked to a film projector. It comes with single, dual and triple turntable. Designed by F.B.A. Prinsen, 1929. |
14. Amphibious Bicycle (1932)
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| This land-and-water bike can carry a load of 120 pounds; Paris, 1932. |
15. Car With Shovel For Pedestrians (1924)
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| Kind of shovel on a car. Purpose: reducing the number of casualties among pedestrians. Paris, 1924. |
16. Hearing Light For the Blind (1912)
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| Hearing light with a new invented apparatus, 1912. |
17. Early GPS (1932)
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| Yesteryear’s TomTom, a rolling key map that passes through the screen in a tempo determined by the speed of the car; 1932. |
18. Portable and Extendable Bridge (1926)
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| The emergency bridge can easily be transported on a handcart; invented by L. Deth. The Netherlands, 1926. |
19. Faxed Newspaper (1938)
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| In 1938, the world’s first wireless newspaper was sent from WOR radio station in New York City. In this photo, children are reading the children’s page of a Missouri paper. |
20. Snowstorm Mask (1939)
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| Plastic face protection from snowstorms. Canada, Montreal, 1939. |
21. Baby Stroller Protected From Gas Attacks (1938)
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| A wartime stroller equipped with gas protection; England, Hextable, 1938. |
22. Revolver Camera (1938)
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| A Colt 38 carrying a small camera that automatically takes a picture when you pull the trigger. At the left: six pictures taken by the camera. New York, 1938. |
(Images via
Nationaal Archief)
