Mystery Devices, issue 2

tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11787852.post-61075577073461449512007-05-10T22:08:00.003-07:002009-02-01T15:05:33.181-08:00Mystery Devices, issue 2<img style="margin: 0px 20px 0px 0px; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 41px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_hVOW2U7K4-M/RbhhjvQRmvI/AAAAAAAAADw/zQN-L8I5IBo/s400/b_quantumshot_cup.jpg" alt="" border="0" />"QUANTUM SHOT" #180 <a href="http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2007/05/mystery-devices-issue-2.html">link</a> Can you tell what they are for? See the answers at the bottom of the page... 1. This is not a telephone. What is it? <a href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/199/493222788_d19c264c57_o.jpg"><img style="margin:10px 10px 0px 0px;" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/199/493222788_171801af76.jpg"></a> 2. Not a mouse, not even an USB device: <a href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/168/443882374_8bdd4a3a2d.jpg"><img style="margin:10px 10px 0px 0px;" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/168/443882374_8bdd4a3a2d.jpg" border="0" /></a> 3. I can only say that it sells well in Japan: <a href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/208/493239930_6ce912c958.jpg"><img style="margin:10px 10px 0px 0px; width:363px" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/208/493239930_6ce912c958.jpg"></a> Intermission: This is not a mystery; I just loved this... <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=422772168&size=o"><img style="margin:10px 10px 0px 0px;" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/178/422772168_0bec363a7b.jpg" border="0" /></a> Chainsaw Gun, oh my. ------- In our previous "Mystery Device" <a href="http://thrillingwonder.blogspot.com/2007/03/mystery-device.html">issue</a> we featured some hamster-powered devices; here is more: Hamster-Powered MIDI Sequencer: <a href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/232/493280609_3adae59d79.jpg"><img style="margin:10px 10px 0px 0px; width:425px" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/232/493280609_3adae59d79.jpg"></a> Read more about it <a href="http://disjointed.org/archives/2005/02/hamsterpowered.html">here</a> "Enslave lower mammals to produce power for a night light.": Seen <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2004/08/25/hamster-powered-light/">here</a> <a href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/203/493262730_1c93341ff9.jpg"><img style="margin:10px 10px 0px 0px; width:425px" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/203/493262730_1c93341ff9.jpg"></a> The whole Power Station moved by these enthusiastic critters is described <a href="http://www.planetandy.com/hamsterpower.html">here</a>: <a href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/167/493264692_54838c2f92.jpg"><img style="margin:10px 10px 0px 0px; width:425px" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/167/493264692_54838c2f92.jpg"></a> Toy robots are an obvious choice: <a href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/229/493293417_3c0f594b23.jpg"><img style="margin:10px 10px 0px 0px;" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/229/493293417_3c0f594b23.jpg"></a> Kid choppers... <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/jodilynn/126542239/"><img style="margin:10px 10px 0px 0px;" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/197/493276508_6db1bdb392.jpg"></a> (photo by: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/jodilynn/">Jodi Kurland</a>) The utmost in exploitation? The whole car powered by hamsters. (yes, shown at Toyota <a href="http://www.pistonheads.com/doc.asp?c=102&i=3682">competition</a>, powered by the amplified electric power generated by hamsters running) <a href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/223/493271386_da101e9ffa.jpg"><img style="margin:10px 10px 0px 0px;" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/223/493271386_da101e9ffa.jpg"></a> ------- But let's get back to enigmatic gadgets: 4. Training for the Space Program? <a href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/183/474015197_15706a6093.jpg"><img style="margin:10px 10px 0px 0px;" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/183/474015197_15706a6093.jpg"></a> 5."The Vintage Matrix" outtake? Wunderkind's educational device? <a href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/205/464585589_5a9deb00fc_o.jpg"><img style="margin:10px 10px 0px 0px; " src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/205/464585589_5a9deb00fc_o.jpg"></a> 6. Wow, TV and turntable in one? Really high-tech for the 60s: <a href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/219/493302033_6f69f31662.jpg"><img style="margin:10px 10px 0px 0px;" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/219/493302033_6f69f31662.jpg"></a> 7. This one is truly a mystery, I honestly have no clue: <a href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/172/423728629_200576aeec_o.gif"><img style="margin:10px 10px 0px 0px;" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/172/423728629_941fd6c2fa.jpg" border="0" /></a> ----------------------------------------- ANSWERS: 1. It's a Dictating Machine! The wax cylinder recorder, made by "Chicago Dictating Machine Co". See color original <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/quadrofonic/424848341/">here</a>, thanks to <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/quadrofonic/">Quadrofonic Wingnut</a> 2. Unusually styled radio with the car shift stick selector (found on <a href="http://www.nodaya-net.com/ ">this page</a> via <a href="http://cooler-online.com/">Cooler</a>) 3. It's Japanese take on a sexy bedroom lamp; apparently you can outfit it in a lingerie of your favorite style, like this for example: <a href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/214/493259029_718785a953.jpg"><img style="margin:10px 10px 0px 0px;" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/214/493259029_718785a953.jpg"></a><a href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/194/493239960_a0591a3296.jpg"><img style="margin:10px 10px 0px 0px;" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/194/493239960_a0591a3296.jpg"></a> See more <a href="http://www.nodaya-net.com/sexylamp.htm">here</a> 4. Futuristic-styled doghouse. Dogs also had a groovy time in the 60s. 5. Just a humble hair-dryer from the 30s. "One of the first machines used for permanent wave hairstyling back in the 1920's and 1930's." (thanks mamafrog) 6. This Mystery Device is "Picturesound!" Sounds great, but alas, it was only slide projection unit, not a TV. Built as an educational toy for kids, it's described in detail on this wonderful <a href="http://www.lileks.com/institute/archives/20/index.html">site</a> (make sure you click the "next" button there) <a href="http://www.lileks.com/institute/archives/20/index.html"><img style="margin:10px 10px 0px 0px;" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/182/474002714_c51b4528e3.jpg"></a> 7. UPDATE This is a pre-radar aircraft detection and acoustic location device, best seen in this <a href="http://www.museumwaalsdorp.nl/en/firstwk.html">link</a> and this <a href="http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=486">article</a>. Depicted in the photograph is half of the equipment by Goerz, Czechoslovakia, 1920s; I wonder what the other half looks like. They were truly otherworldly looking and possibly very unwieldy to handle, but apparently quite precise: the best listener could achieve an accuracy of less than one degree in locating the intruding airplanes. <a href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/207/494367001_01c928b864.jpg"><img style="margin:10px 10px 0px 0px;" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/207/494367001_01c928b864.jpg"></a> More of this weird bunch can be seen in this great article: <a href="http://www.dself.dsl.pipex.com/MUSEUM/COMMS/ear/ear.htm">"Acoustic Location & Sound Mirrors"</a> <a href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/227/494355941_df406b5e87_o.gif"><img style="margin:10px 10px 0px 0px;" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/227/494355941_df406b5e87_o.gif" border="0" /></a> Here is rather more portable listening equipment "Waalsdorf": <a href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/221/494328662_68eb02e039_o.gif"><img style="margin:10px 10px 0px 0px;" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/221/494328662_68eb02e039_o.gif" border="0" /></a> and even smaller "Paraboloids" listening equipment, meant to be worn around the head: (its operator does not seem to be very happy wearing it) <a href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/217/494324990_afe1880e1e_o.gif"><img style="margin:10px 10px 0px 0px;" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/217/494324990_afe1880e1e_o.gif" border="0" /></a> Thanks to all who provided the links to solve this!! <a href="http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2007/03/mystery-device.html">Read previous Mystery issue here</a> <a href="http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2007/05/mystery-devices-issue-2.html">Permanent Link</a>...<a href="http://del.icio.us/post" onclick="window.open('http://del.icio.us/post?v=4&noui&jump=close&url='+encodeURIComponent(location.href)+'&title='+encodeURIComponent(document.title), 'delicious','toolbar=no,width=700,height=400'); return false;"><img src="http://images.del.icio.us/static/img/delicious.small.gif"></a> Category: <a href="http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2007/01/category-gadgets.html">Gadgets</a>,<a href="http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2007/01/category-vintage.html">Vintage</a> Dark Roasted Blend's Photography Gear Picks:<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/11787852-6107557707346144951?l=www.darkroastedblend.com'/></div>Avi Abramshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12550929795356812957noreply@blogger.com11