Photos of Strange and Promising Inventions Over the Years

Thinking back to the technology that was around 50 years ago, it’s remarkable how many inventions and innovations have changed the world (and the way we navigate our way through it). Some inventions, like the lightbulb or the refrigerator, had inherent staying power from the get-go.

Others had a promising air about them, but might have been fleeting. These throwback photos show some of the most innovative inventions on both sides of the spectrum.

1. A Vending Machine That Let People Purchase Goods After Shops Closed in London (1920)

This photo depicts the early days of the automat — vending machines that offer goods and food rather than just snacks and sodas. Now, these machines are most often found in bustling cities.

2. The Nerf Football (1997)

Former Minnesota Vikings kicker, Fred Cox, came up with the foam Nerf football after John Mattox, an entrepreneur, pitched Cox about his idea for plastic field-goal posts so kids could practice their kicking in the backyard. Cox suggested a softer football made out of foam, and the rest was history.

3. Futuristic Typewriter Chair, Complete With Headphones and a Light in Paris, France (1972)

This chair looked like something out of “The Jetsons,” and was probably a bit too niche to have real staying power.

4. Les Paul at Age 14 With a Harmonica Rack That He Invented (1929)

The harmonica stand Les Paul constructed when he was a teenager was practical, but it paled in comparison to the musician’s contributions to electric guitars and other musical feats.

5. Automatic Tip Requester (1955)

Russell E. Oakes created an artificial hand and cashbox designed to be worn around the waist. It even included a “No Sale” sign if the tips weren’t sufficient. While this particular iteration didn’t stick, the notion of automatic tip requests sure did.

6. The Polaroid Instant Camera (1947)

Edwin Land debuted the Polaroid instant camera to the Optical Society of America in 1947. The Polaroid Model 95, which was the first commercial model Land created, went on sale the day after Thanksgiving in 1948, and sold out the same day.

7. Mini Bar Attached to a TV Set (1950s)

Quite frankly we’re astonished these didn’t take off and stick around for the long haul. This is simplified convenience at its finest.

8. The Shopping Cart (1937)

Sylvan Goldman owned the Humpty Dumpty grocery store in Oklahoma City. After seeing shoppers struggle to carry their groceries (and buy less because of the hassle), he created the shopping cart. It’s safe to say the invention stuck. 

9. First Friction Radiator (1906)

Born into slavery, Charles Baker was freed after the Civil War and went on to attend and graduate from Franklin College. Baker experimented with several different types of friction to conduct heat before landing on two metal cylinders (one inside the other) with a wood center core that produced friction and created heat.

10. Bill Changer (1958)

While today these machines are less bulky and mostly exclusive to laundromats and arcades, bill changers first emerged in the 1950s, and were invented to convert cash into coins.

11. The Family Bicycle (1939)

Because Mom never deserved a break from sewing? Hopefully Charles Steinlauf’s intentions for including a built-in sewing machine and table to his “Family Bicycle” were purer than that.

12. Pedal-Powered Monocycle With Legs (1971)

Carl Ward had to have goals of peak laziness in order to invent a pair of legs that would allow him to sit while walking. 

13. Ice Skating Baby Holder (1937)

Invented by hockey player Jack Milford, this baby holder allowed couples to ice skate together without having to pay for a babysitter. 

14. High Speed Unicycle (1923)

Not everyone had a car in 1923, so a unicycle that could reach 150 kilometers per hour (about 93 mph) wasn’t the worst idea in the world. Still, it didn’t stick. We’re going to guess there were some safety concerns.

15. Thomas Edison’s Phonograph (1877)

While certainly not as renowned as the light bulb, Thomas Edison’s phonograph (a device that could record and play back sounds by etching them on a cylinder covered in tin foil to capture the vibrations) was notorious in its own right.

Looking for similar content?

• 16 Historical Photos of World’s Fairs — From the Eiffel Tower to vehicles, here are some of the best photos of these expositions we could find.
• When Pie Was a Nickel: Vintage Photos That Capture the Magic of Automats — These photos are a reminder of a time when the latest technology took the form of a piece of cherry pie delivered through a glass portal.
• 15 Classic 1960s Products That Defined an Era — Some of the most iconic 1960s products include innovative toys and kitchen gadgets, many of which promised to make life easier.