The Extraordinary Catalog of Peculiar Inventions

The Extraordinary Catalog of Peculiar Inventions PDF Author: Julia Suits
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 1101545763
Category : Reference
Languages : en
Pages : 362

Get Book Here

Book Description
"This stuff is more than just fancy pranks. It's Americana. Never has nonsense been taken so seriously...This book is a fascinating, appetite- whetting glimpse for the, if you'll pardon the expression, uninitiated." -David Copperfield, from the foreword At the beginning of the twentieth century, 40 percent of American men belonged to a lodge, and they were hazing their newbies with cigar- smoking camels, spankers, and even fake guillotines. Nearly all their prank devices came from the same place: catalogs published by the DeMoulin Brothers Company from 1896 to 1930. Julia Suits discovered one of these all-but-forgotten catalogs at a flea market. Its pages were full of bizarre hazing props: old-fashioned telephones that squirted water, bucking goats attached to tricycles, Victorian- looking furniture that sent electric shocks. These prank machines are the relics of mischief and daredevilry, produced for the country's original fraternity- hazing culture, and created by America's original high-tech geeks of the electric age. The Extraordinary Catalog of Peculiar Inventions offers a peek into twentieth-century American culture that most people have never seen. At its core are hundreds of the most inventive DeMoulin prank machines, complete with their original, quirky descriptions and eccentric line art. Alongside the catalog pages are newspaper clippings, lodge trivia, quotes, and stories that show the true side of America's original hazing culture.

The Extraordinary Catalog of Peculiar Inventions

The Extraordinary Catalog of Peculiar Inventions PDF Author: Julia Suits
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 1101545763
Category : Reference
Languages : en
Pages : 362

Get Book Here

Book Description
"This stuff is more than just fancy pranks. It's Americana. Never has nonsense been taken so seriously...This book is a fascinating, appetite- whetting glimpse for the, if you'll pardon the expression, uninitiated." -David Copperfield, from the foreword At the beginning of the twentieth century, 40 percent of American men belonged to a lodge, and they were hazing their newbies with cigar- smoking camels, spankers, and even fake guillotines. Nearly all their prank devices came from the same place: catalogs published by the DeMoulin Brothers Company from 1896 to 1930. Julia Suits discovered one of these all-but-forgotten catalogs at a flea market. Its pages were full of bizarre hazing props: old-fashioned telephones that squirted water, bucking goats attached to tricycles, Victorian- looking furniture that sent electric shocks. These prank machines are the relics of mischief and daredevilry, produced for the country's original fraternity- hazing culture, and created by America's original high-tech geeks of the electric age. The Extraordinary Catalog of Peculiar Inventions offers a peek into twentieth-century American culture that most people have never seen. At its core are hundreds of the most inventive DeMoulin prank machines, complete with their original, quirky descriptions and eccentric line art. Alongside the catalog pages are newspaper clippings, lodge trivia, quotes, and stories that show the true side of America's original hazing culture.

The Extraordinary Catalog of Peculiar Inventions

The Extraordinary Catalog of Peculiar Inventions PDF Author: Julia Suits
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781101542880
Category : Fraternal organizations
Languages : en
Pages : 203

Get Book Here

Book Description


Weird and Wacky Inventions

Weird and Wacky Inventions PDF Author: Jim Murphy
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780868961736
Category : Inventions
Languages : en
Pages : 91

Get Book Here

Book Description
Presents a series of drawings, with comments, of peculiar inventions, most of which were patented in the 19th century. Readers are asked to guess the purpose of each, and are given a set of answers from which to choose. Also discusses how two simple inventions developed into the bicycle and the vacuum cleaner.

Weird Inventions

Weird Inventions PDF Author: Jennifer Kaul
Publisher: Capstone Press
ISBN: 1496684850
Category : Juvenile Nonfiction
Languages : en
Pages : 49

Get Book Here

Book Description
"Humans are ingenious when it comes to meeting challenges. We invent all sorts of useful contraptions from the wheel to the can opener. But some of the things people have come up with are truly odd. Who came up with grass sandals, and why? Have you ever heard of a portable radio hat? Not many people have, but someone invented it. Get the inside scoop on these odd contraptions and many more weird inventions"--

Weird Science and Bizarre Beliefs

Weird Science and Bizarre Beliefs PDF Author: Gregory L. Reece
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 0857717871
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 253

Get Book Here

Book Description
Does the giant Yeti roam the mountain ranges of Tibet? Does a real-life Shangri La lie waiting to be discovered in a Himalayan valley? Do transmissions from lost civilizations beam messages of salvation to humankind? What lost creatures lurk in the murky depths of Scotland's brooding Loch Ness? And who - or what - is responsible for the implacable monoliths which tower over Easter Island? The obsession that so many now have with the uncanny and the unnatural is in itself a mystery. It prompts serious questions which could have remarkable answers. Drinking deep from the wells of esoteric knowledge, Greg Reece undertakes a heroic quest for solutions. Braving the darkest recesses of cult belief, he stalks the twilight borderlands of contemporary culture, where, at the outer edges of mainstream thought, things become downright freaky and outlandish. Taking his life in both hands, the author explores a subterranean cavern reputed to be the home of elusive blue-skinned troglodytes; goes hiking in the backwoods for a glimpse of Bigfoot; investigates the truth of Alternative Archaeology in search of Atlantis; and tests for himself the time-travel and anti-gravity theories of famed inventor Nikola Tesla. Unashamedly revelling in the unexplained, Weird Science and Bizarre Beliefs is both a penetrating analysis of the hidden underbelly of science, pseudo-science and religion as well as an unforgettable journey into the innermost depths of the fantastic, the extraordinary and the peculiar.

Weird & Wacky Inventions

Weird & Wacky Inventions PDF Author: Jim Murphy
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1626365865
Category : Juvenile Nonfiction
Languages : en
Pages : 124

Get Book Here

Book Description
A hair-cutting machine, a used gum receptacle, jumping shoes, and more of the strangest inventions ever! A hat that can tip itself. A suitcase that turns into a bathtub. A pair of protective eyeglasses for chickens. These are just three of the hundreds of unusual inventions that people have dreamed up over the last two centuries. Some, such as the mustache guard, made perfect sense when they first appeared. Others were considered just plain silly. Jim Murphy has compiled a collection of the weirdest and wackiest inventions and presented them in a quiz style that is challenging and fun. Simple, clear explanations are provided on how the inventions worked or failed to work. Complete with over 100 colored illustrations of these crazy creations, this is the perfect gift for any child interested in science and inventions. Ages: 9–12.

Wacky Inventions Throughout History

Wacky Inventions Throughout History PDF Author: Joe Rhatigan
Publisher: Walter Foster Jr
ISBN: 1600588018
Category : Juvenile Nonfiction
Languages : en
Pages : 34

Get Book Here

Book Description
Have you ever heard of armpit air conditioners? Or a toilet paper hat? Wacky Inventions Throughout History describes some of the wackiest inventions that seem too crazy to be true--but are! Whether useful, entertaining, or just plain silly, these mind-boggling inventions and gadgets from yesterday, today, and tomorrow will surprise and delight fun-fact lovers of all ages.

Catalogue of Extraordinary Objects ...

Catalogue of Extraordinary Objects ... PDF Author: Jacques Carelman
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780200719377
Category : Inventions
Languages : en
Pages : 128

Get Book Here

Book Description


Extraordinary Stories Behind the Invention of Ordinary Things

Extraordinary Stories Behind the Invention of Ordinary Things PDF Author: Don L. Wulffson
Publisher: Avon Books
ISBN: 9780380712946
Category : Juvenile Nonfiction
Languages : en
Pages : 98

Get Book Here

Book Description
Traces the origin or invention of 28 common, everyday items, such as shopping carts, jigsaw puzzles, frozen foods, zippers, safety pins, vacuum cleaners, and rubber bands.

Baffling & Bizarre Inventions

Baffling & Bizarre Inventions PDF Author: Jim Murphy
Publisher: Sky Pony
ISBN: 9781634501521
Category : Juvenile Nonfiction
Languages : en
Pages : 96

Get Book Here

Book Description
A talking watch. An overcoat for two people. A pair of training pants for poodles. In his companion to Weird & Wacky Inventions, Jim Murphy shows kids some additional baffling and utterly silly inventions in the form of a guessing game that is both challenging and fun. What is a finger-supporting device used for? Did the talking watch ever become available for sale in stores? What on earth is a beard grinder? Now for the first time in paperback, with full-color illustrations throughout, Baffling & Bizarre Inventions offers a glimpse into the life of inventors—both good and bad! Whether it’s a device for shaping the upper lip or a life preserver for horses, this parade of unusual inventions is a real treat for trivia lovers, budding artists, and any kid who has an interest in science and inventions.