16 Items From the Past You’d Never Recognize Today
These once-common objects from history look so strange now, you’d never guess what they were used for.
- Chris Graciano
- 3 min read
Time has a way of turning the ordinary into the odd. Everyday things from the past frequently exhibit little similarity to their modern counterparts, rendering them virtually unrecognizable today. This list of remarkable antiques demonstrates how far ingenuity and design have progressed.
1. Early Hair Dryers
James Vaughan on Flickr
The first hair dryers were bulky, loud, and helmet-like, resembling medieval torture devices. They were often connected to vacuum-like machines and took ages to dry hair.
2. 19th Century Toothbrushes
Wikimedia Commons
Made with bone handles and animal hair bristles, these brushes looked more like tools from a dentist’s nightmare. They wore out quickly and weren’t very hygienic.
3. Iceboxes
Magi Media on Wikimedia Commons
Before refrigerators, homes used wooden iceboxes filled with large blocks of ice to keep food cool. They had a charming but clunky design and required regular ice deliveries.
4. Victorian-Era Exercise Machines
Tima Miroshnichenko on Pexels
These contraptions looked more like steampunk furniture than gym equipment. They were designed to jiggle, twist, or press the body into shape.
5. 1920s Telephones
Mark Mathosian on Flickr
With separate earpieces, crank handles, and no dials, these devices required operator assistance for every call. They were ornate and delicate, not the sleek touchscreens we know today.
6. Gas Irons
Helge Klaus Rieder on Wikimedia Commons
Before electricity, irons were heated using gas — yes, open flames and hot metal. They were heavy, dangerous, and hard to control.
7. Antique Vacuum Cleaners
Bjoertvedt on Wikimedia Commons
Some early models were operated by hand pumps or bellows. Others looked like metal beasts with long tubes and leather components.
8. Morse Code Machines
Rauantiques on Wikimedia Commons
Used for long-distance communication, these devices sent messages using taps and pauses. Operators needed to understand dots and dashes fluently.
9. Butter Churns
Jonathan Dresner on Flickr
Long before grocery stores, butter was made at home using wooden churns and a lot of elbow grease. They were large, rustic, and completely manual.
10. Floppy Disks
s j on Unsplash
These square plastic disks once stored everything from school papers to work files. Holding less than a single photo by today’s standards, they’re practically tech fossils.
11. Chamber Pots
Wikimedia Commons
Before indoor plumbing, this was your nighttime bathroom — a pot under the bed. It was emptied in the morning, often with a cloth cover for modesty.
12. TV Antennas (Rabbit Ears)
Andre Moura on Pexels
These metal rods had to be constantly adjusted to get a clear picture. Every home had them perched atop their bulky TV sets.
13. Rotary Phones
Suzy Hazelwood on Pexels
Dialing each number meant spinning a wheel and waiting for it to reset. Accidentally hitting the wrong digit meant starting over.
14. Slide Projectors
Steve Morgan on Wikimedia Commons
Family photo nights used to involve clicking through noisy projectors and flipping through carousels. They were bulky, loud, and had a charm of their own.
15. Coal Scuttles
Johan on Wikimedia Commons
Used to store and pour coal into stoves, these metal buckets were a fireplace staple. Sooty and heavy, they were a common sight in colder homes.
16. Typewriters
Daniel McCullough on Unsplash
With clacking keys and ink ribbons, these machines demanded precision. One typo meant starting over, or at least using correction tape.