30 External Turkey Roaster, 1966

1 Curved Barrel Machine Gun, 1953

2 Anti-Bandit Bag, 1963 Inventor John H T Rinfret demonstrates his anti-bandit bag. To foil thieves the chain is pulled and the bottom of the case falls out so the contents are scattered over the floor. That'll stop those thieves from getting at the contents of your bag! No, wait. It won't.

3 Hubbard Electrometer, 1968 American science fiction writer and founder of the Church of Scientology L. Ron Hubbard uses his Hubbard Electrometer to determine whether tomatoes experience pain, 1968. His work led him to the conclusion that tomatoes "scream when sliced."

4 Cup Bras, 1949 Charles L. Langs poses with his strapless, backless, wireless, support-less bras. His wife is justifiably dubious.

5 Finnish Portable Sauna, 1962

6 Baby Cage, 1937 A nanny supervising a baby suspended in a wire cage attached to the outside of a high tenement block window. The cages were distributed to members of the Chelsea Baby Club in London who have no gardens, or qualms about putting a child in a box dangling over a busy street.

7 Laryngaphone, 1929 A man at a shipping exhibition in Olympia, London, demonstrating the ''Laryngaphone,'' a noise-excluding telephone which only transmits vibrations from the vocal chords when the microphone is placed against the throat or cheek. For the man who wants to annoy both his wife and his mistress

8 Motorized Surfboard, 1948 Hollywood inventor Joe Gilpin riding his motorized surfboard.

9 Rainy Day Cigarette Holder, 1954 President of Zeus Corp., Robert L. Stern, smoking a cigarette from his self-designed rainy day cigarette holder.

10 Rocket Belt, 1961 Engineer Harold Graham salutes President Kennedy after demonstrating Rocket Belt for him.

11 Honegar, 1959 Inventor of a honey and vinegar mixture, called Honegar, Dr. DeForest C. Jarvis. Honegar was said to be a folk remedy for aches and pains, though it mainly sounds like a cure for lack of nausea

12 Illuminated Tires, 1961 A woman adjusts her stocking by the light of the Goodyear's illuminated tires. The tire is made from a single piece of synthetic rubber and is brightly lit by bulbs mounted inside the wheel rim.

13 Shower Hood, 1970 For the woman who likes to put makeup on her dirty face.

14 Cigarette Pack Holder, 1955

15 Handwriting Game, 1955 A handwriting game being analysed by members of the Ideal Toy panel on Inventor's Day at the Ideal Toy Company in Hollis, New York. Because there's nothing children love more than handwriting.

16 Fast-Draw Robot, 1960 Robot equipped with fast-draw invention shoots it out with live gunner. It's always easy to question the wisdom of giving a robot a gun, but also making him quick on the draw is just irresponsible.

17 Yodel Meter, 1925 Two girls try out the new yodel meter, which measures the pitch of the human yodel.

18 Mini Television, 1966 British inventor Clive Sinclair shows off his mini television. Please note the thickness of his glasses

19 Flying Platform, 1956 Flying platforms being tested at an Air Force base.

20 Beating Breasts, 1963 A pair of artificial breasts with a built-in heartbeat, an invention from —where else? —Japan intended as a sleeping aid for very young children.

21 Venetian Blind Sunglasses, 1950 It was a bad idea then, it's a bad idea now. Sorry, Kanye.

23 Phone-Answering Robot, 1964 A robot designed by Claus Scholz of Vienna answers the phone, though it cannot speak. Halfway there, Claus.

24 Baby Holder, 1937 Jack Milford, player with the Wembley Monarchs ice hockey team, has invented a carrying device so that his baby can join his wife and himself on the ice. Because who wouldn't want to take something as fragile as a baby onto a rock-hard surface with very little friction?

25 Sea-Shoes, 1962 Inventor M W Hulton demonstrates his sea-shoes and duckfoot propellers on the Grand Union Canal, England.

26 T.V. Glasses, 1963 Inventor Hugo Gernsback with his T.V. Glasses.

27 Cat-Mew Machine, 1963 This mechanical cat can meow ten times a minute and the eyes light up each time. The device for scaring rats and mice is from Japan and is powered by a two-watt motor.

28 Dog Restrainer, 1940

29 Cigarette Holder Built For Two, 1955