The 1920′s, particularly in the United States, was a time that is often referred to as the “Roaring Twenties”. This boisterous period was characterized by rapidly changing lifestyles, financial excesses, and fast paced technological progress. New ideas and patterns of life developed in the 20′s, making it also a very invention-intensive time period. Some of the more popular inventions introduced in the 1920′s (many that are still in use today) include the lie detector, Penicillin, the traffic light, the moving-image television and even bubble gum. The next decade, the 1930′s, was a time associated mostly with depression–the Great Depression. This made funding for inventions a little more scarce. Nevertheless, this time period brought us a considerable number of wartime inventions like the helicopter, FM radio broadcasting, the jet engine, the world’s first antibiotic and the photocopier. This gallery showcases some of the most creative, humorous and lesser-known inventions from the 1920′s and 1930′s that most of the world has probably forgotten.

Radio Pram (USA, 1921)

Car With Shovel For Pedestrians (Paris, 1924)

Bike Tire Used As Swimming Aid (Germany, 1925)

Transportable Folding Bridge (Netherlands, 1926)

100 MPH One Wheel Motorcycle (1931)

Radio Radio in Straw Hat (USA, 1931)

Bulletproof Glass (New York, 1931)

Amphibious Water and Land Bike (Paris, 1932)

Electrically Heated Jacket (USA, 1932)

Early GPS – Rolling Key Map (1932)

Extensible Caravan (France, 1934)

Piano For The Bedridden (UK, 1935)

All Terrain Car (England, 1936)

Glasses For Reading In Bed (England, 1936)

Faxed Newspaper (1938)

Gas War Resistant Pram (England, 1938)

Revolver Camera (New York, 1938)

Face Protection From Snowstorms (Canada, 1939)

Photos acquired from Bored Panda.