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The 1957 Future Power Mower That Tried to Be A Cadillac on Grass (Plastic Dome, Radio, AC Included)
Let's dive into some wild vintage products that will make you scratch your head. Was this stuff actually sold or just a joke? Let’s find out! Starting strong with the "Lazy Man's Power Mower" – a lawnmower from 1958 that came with a plastic dome, air cushion seat, running lights, a radio, and even air conditioning! Sounds fancy, right? But nope, it never made it past the concept stage. Imagine mowing your lawn in an air-conditioned bubble – dream or disaster?
Air Travel Back Then Was Basically Like Riding A Bus... With A Piano Lounge!
Back in 1966, American Airlines dreamed big with 747 Astroliners. But by 1970, the economy said “Nah,” so they yanked 50 seats to make room for a lounge complete with a piano! Too bad jazz in the sky didn’t last long – ticket sales took a nosedive.
Next up, the Niagara Wave & Rocking Bath from the 1890s. This wasn’t just a crazy bathtub; it was an early form of hydrotherapy. The idea? To make you feel like you’re chilling by the seaside, right in your bathroom. Fancy swinging baths and a splash of Victorian health trends all rolled into one weird package.
Asbestos Snow? Yep, ’Cause What Could Possibly Go Wrong With That Christmas Decor?
Once upon a time, asbestos was a trendy white, fluffy decoration for Christmas trees. Then science popped the bubble with the whole 'major cancer risk' thing. Bonus trivia: asbestos snow even showed up in the 1939 Wizard of Oz, waking Dorothy and friends from a spell!
The rocking bath had a super simple setup: just three buckets of hot or cold water, and it rocked you back and forth without any mess. No splashing allowed! Talk about luxury bathing with Victorian flair.
Fast forward to inflatable sauna shorts – yeah, those were a thing! These puffy shorts promised to trap heat and melt away fat. Spoiler alert: they mostly just made you lose water weight temporarily. So, if you wore these while golfing or painting, you might sweat more, but don't expect to turn into a slimmer you overnight.
People still rock sauna suits today hoping to burn calories, but science says heating one body part won’t magically zap fat. The results? Meh, barely noticeable calorie burn. Sorry, no magic pants here!
Morton Salt’s Classic Catchphrase: When It Rains, It Pours
Morton Salt came up with the phrase "When it rains, it pours" to show off their salt that doesn’t clump in humidity, thanks to a special additive from 1911.
Which one caught your eye? Maybe the piano lounge in the sky on American Airlines or the asbestos fake snow that sounds super unsafe now. Got a favorite oddball product or vintage ad? Share your pick! And if you want more time-traveling laughs, old ads from the ’90s have plenty of jaw-dropping moments too.
Henry Leland Named Cadillac After Detroit’s Founder And Made Auto History
Cadillac changed the car game by pioneering interchangeable parts, making modern car production possible. This 1908 ad celebrates that engineering milestone.
The Folding Bath That Hid In A Wardrobe (Because Bathrooms Were Complicated)
This sneaky tub looked like a mirrored wardrobe until you folded it down and turned it into a bath, complete with water heater! When indoor plumbing wasn’t a thing, this was fancy tech for a quick soak.
Shell’s Crazy Crop Yield Boosters: Nitrogation!
Shell bragged about boosting crop yields with a process called ‘nitrogation’ - they’d combine hydrogen from petroleum gas with nitrogen from air into a plant food. Science or marketing magic?
The First Ever Beer Can: 1933, Steel & A Tin Lining, Opened With A Church Key
Back in ’33, beer cans made of steel had a tin lining to avoid the metallic taste. Heavy stuff that needed a special opener called a 'church key' – no twist tops here!
All The Fun You Can Have With Him… But Seriously, What Fun Is Actually Possible With A Dead Alligator?
Meet John ‘Count Dante’ Keehan: Hairdresser, Criminal, Porn Star, And Martial Arts Mastermind
Faultless Rubber’s ‘Sanitary Sealed Package’ Promised Clean Balloons Straight From The Factory To Your Kid
Jell-O Powder First Hit Stores In 1897 And Made All Kinds Of Weird Recipes Famous
Over the years, Jell-O’s ads were all about wild recipes. In 1959, they even said gelatin (yes, the stuff made from boiling animal parts) could be a delicious drink.
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