20 Vintage Photos of Iconic Inventors Throughout History

History 2 days ago

Throughout history, we’ve seen a series of remarkable individuals pop up out of the blue to grace the world with wild inventions. Whether we’re talking about something as silly yet highly successful as the Pet Rock, or something much more essential like air-conditioning, this slideshow covers it all. We’ll take a look at some fascinating vintage photos of inventors doing their thing.

1. Gary Dahl, the inventor of the Pet Rock, a product that made him a millionaire within a few months in 1975

A man with a beard and suit stands by an ornate cash register, holding a Pet Rock box. Behind him is a tally board reading "1,000,000" and Pet Rock boxes stacked in the background. The date "Dec 24, 1975" is shown.
chrisburke

Pet Rocks took the world by storm. Nobody ever saw them coming.

2. Arthur Jones, inventor of High Intensity Training and Nautilus Machines, feeding a young elephant around the 1970s

A shirtless man feeds a baby elephant from a container while standing in a fenced outdoor area. The man holds an axe in his other hand, and the scene takes place in daylight with trees in the background.
hoslterin

Of course this legend is caught feeding an elephant.

3. 18-year-old inventor, H. Day, wearing headphones attached to a wireless under his top hat

A young man wearing an old-fashioned suit and headphones stands outside a shop, holding up a top hat with a wire connected to it, possibly demonstrating an early radio or listening device.
eating321

Love the colorization going on here as well.

4. Scientist and inventor Dr. Valerie Thomas (1979), who invented the illusion transmitter

A Black woman wearing glasses and a blouse smiles while standing in front of a chalkboard covered with scientific notes and formulas, with one hand resting on a stack of large data reels.
hestolemyballoons

Look at all those equations though.

5. The inventor of the super soaker circa the early 1980s

A smiling man wearing glasses and a striped shirt holds a large water gun outdoors, with trees blurred in the background.
pokingballoons

Thank goodness for Super Soakers.

6. This is Willis Carrier, inventor of air conditioning, in 1915

A black-and-white portrait of a man in a pinstripe suit, white shirt, and tie, with neatly combed dark hair, looking at the camera with a neutral expression. The background is plain and out of focus.
ff3lockez

This guy’s the literal definition of cool.

7. Robert Moog, pioneering inventor of the Moog synthesizer

A man in a suit sits on a stool in front of a large modular synthesizer, holding cables in one hand, surrounded by audio equipment in a studio setting.
conscoiusrhubarb

He got real creative with the name there too.

8. Louis Le Prince, the (allegedly) real inventor of the early motion-picture camera (1880s)

A man with a mustache and sideburns stands outdoors on grass, wearing a dark suit and vest. He holds a cigar and has one hand on his hip, with trees or bushes blurred in the background.
funnymanufacturer936

If that is the case, well done indeed, my good sir.

9. Inventor Hugo Gernsback modeling a prototype of his ‘TV Glasses’ in 1963

An older man in a suit and bow tie sits smiling while wearing a device resembling early virtual reality goggles with two long antennae sticking out above his head.
chrisburke

TV Glasses were far too ahead of their time back then.

10. Alexey Pajitnov, inventor of Tetris, (1990)

A man with a beard sits next to a vintage computer displaying a Tetris-like game. An American flag and a Soviet flag hang in the background. A box labeled "WELLTRIS" with a hammer and sickle is in the foreground.
amazingsandwiches

Tetris is one of those games that rings a bell for plenty of folks.

11. Alfred Mosher Butts, the inventor of Scrabble and promoter James Brunot in 1953

Two men in dress shirts and ties sit on the floor, playing a large-scale Scrabble game in a living room. Oversized letter tiles form words on the board between a couch and a table in a cozy, wood-paneled room.
owlsintrees

Scrabble is a part of so many of our lives to this day.

12. Grace Hopper inventor of the world’s first compiler, 1952

A woman in a dress stands beside large, vintage computer equipment, adjusting a dial. She holds papers labeled "COBOL" in one hand and appears focused on the machines in a black-and-white photo.
dreamingofaphd

Grace looks locked in.

13. Davide Chislagi, the Italian inventor of a version of the ‘Monowheel’, testing it out in 1933

A man wearing a flat cap and knickerbockers rides a vintage motorized monowheel, with one large wheel encircling the driver, on a street in front of a wall with faded writing.
dannydutch1

Monowheels seem like they could be right out of “Star Wars.”

14. DJ Grand Wizzard Theodore: The inventor of Scratching (Bronx, NY 1975)

Black-and-white photo of a DJ in a white hoodie mixing records at a turntable, surrounded by people watching and listening at what appears to be a lively indoor party or event.
djpromovqs1

Looking unshakably focused there.

15. Bruce Meyers, inventor of the fibreglass-body beach buggy, goes airborne in his creation, 1960s

A person drives a dune buggy that is airborne on a dirt path, with houses visible in the background under a clear sky.
jimpalamo

He got some serious air.

16. Hermann Rorschach, inventor of the Rorschach test in 1921

Black and white portrait of a young man with short hair and a mustache, wearing a suit, tie, and open coat. The caption below the image reads "Hermann Rorschach.
deleted

Not only a brilliant mind, but also an undeniable stud.

17. Robert Patten, inventor of the umbrella hat, around 1910

An elderly man with a long white beard and mustache stands outdoors, wearing a worn suit and holding a cane. He has a hat perched on his head and gazes directly at the camera with a slight smile. The photo is sepia-toned.
notbob1959

Seriously though, we’d be so lost without umbrella hats.

18. Hedy Lamarr, whose scientific discoveries helped invent Wi-Fi in 1938

A woman with dark wavy hair and elegant makeup wears a luxurious white fur stole. She sits thoughtfully with her hand near her neck, gazing to the side, in a classic black-and-white setting.
detroitaa

Some folks seemingly got all the upsides.

19. The inventor of the pre-modern wingsuit, Franz “the Flying Tailor” Reichelt, 1912

A man with a mustache stands outside wearing an early flying machine suit with fabric wings extended and cords attached, resembling a human-sized parachute. The backdrop is a rough wall and rocky ground.
insomni5

I mean, this is just all-around epic. No other way about it.

20. Water skiing inventor Ralph Samuelson in the 1920s

Two black-and-white vintage photos: the top shows a person waterskiing alone, while the bottom shows two people balancing together on a wooden board being towed across the water.
deleted

Thank goodness for water skiing. Water sledding sounds just a tad bit complicated.

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