Weird Universe Archive

April 2023

April 15, 2023

The Perfume Concert of Sadakichi Hartmann

Nov 30, 1902: Sadakichi Hartmann gave the world's first "perfume concert" at the New York Theatre. It was meant to be a journey around the world via scents. Hartmann recited a travel monologue as fans blew scents toward the audience.

Sadakichi started out to be the personal conductor of a tour to Japan. The audience was expected to smell its way. To this end, two contrivances which looked like ovens to an abandoned gasoline stove were brought on the stage. In the ovens were placed pad-like layers saturated with various perfumes. Fans operated by electricity wafted the odors to an audience made up of actor ladies and ladies of other professions, accompanied by "gents" conspicuous for white vests and Tuxedos with "shiny" satin collars.

The problem was that in the early 1900s people freely smoked in theaters. So no one beyond the first few rows could smell anything except cigar smoke. The audience soon left, en masse.

Wikipedia article about Sadakichi Hartmann.

New York Evening World - Dec 1, 1902

Posted By: Alex - Sat Apr 15, 2023 - Comments (2)
Category: Theater and Stage, 1900s, Perfume and Cologne and Other Scents

The Wonderful World of Tupperware



Say it ain't so, Ma! How have the mighty fallen....



Posted By: Paul - Sat Apr 15, 2023 - Comments (1)
Category: Domestic, Advertising, Documentaries, 1960s

April 14, 2023

Jet Art

Jackson Pollock splashed paint onto a canvas. Prince Jurgen von Anhalt took this method to the next level by using the blast of an airplane's jet engine to spray paint onto a canvas.

More info: Smithsonian Magazine

Posted By: Alex - Fri Apr 14, 2023 - Comments (1)
Category: Art

Follies of the Madmen #561

Posted By: Paul - Fri Apr 14, 2023 - Comments (0)
Category: Cryptozoology, Human Marvels, Hygiene, Advertising, 1950s, 1960s

April 13, 2023

Rubber Beauty Mask

"the best time to slip it on is when nobody is looking, as its beauty is of the kind that frightens the neighbor's children."

Popular Science Monthly - Feb 1922



source: Wellcome Collection



A reference to rubber beauty masks in verse, from the poet Berton Braley:

Owensboro Messenger - Aug 26, 1916

Posted By: Alex - Thu Apr 13, 2023 - Comments (1)
Category: Beauty, Ugliness and Other Aesthetic Issues, Costumes and Masks, 1920s

Sydna Yokley, Rodeo Prodigy

Sydna--seen here in a 1939 LIFE magazine feature--debuted on the rodeo circuit at age 12. She had an outstanding career (see her FIND A GRAVE obit) but died young--under the hooves of her favorite horse.






A nice write-up of her life here.

A 1977 retrospective feature here.





Posted By: Paul - Thu Apr 13, 2023 - Comments (4)
Category: Animals, Contests, Races and Other Competitions, Regionalism, Sports, North America, Twentieth Century

April 12, 2023

Hypnotized Lobster

If you stroke lobsters on the back of their shell they go into a trance, as if hypnotized. You can then stand them on their head, and they stay like that. Some people think that doing this before cooking them makes them taste better. Details from The Wicked Good Book: A Guide to Maine Living by Stephen Gleasner:

It turns out that there is a serious debate being waged as to whether lobsters can really be hypnotized. One scientist I spoke to said that a lobster can be "tonically immobilized," but not hypnotized. As far as I can tell, tonic immobilization just means that after being rubbed on the top of its shell, just behind its eyes, the lobster seems to lose any will to move and can be stood on its beak and claws in a kind of tripod arrangement. And the lobster seems content to just stay like this, balanced on its beak and claws. But I don't speak lobster, so it's really hard to say what is on the mind of a tonically immobilized lobster that has been forced to do a headstand.

Some people swear this ritual makes the meat taste better if the lobster is thrown into the boiling water while still under "hypnosis." We carried out a double-blind taste test on our back porch one evening, and I thought all the boiled lobster tasted great.

Image source: Hypnotism, by Carl Sextus



Posted By: Alex - Wed Apr 12, 2023 - Comments (1)
Category: Food, Hypnotism, Mesmerism and Mind Control

Myles Jackson, “Varsity Cheer”

Firesign Theater had few imitators. Here's one.

I cannot learn anything about the creator. Perhaps a pseudonym?





Posted By: Paul - Wed Apr 12, 2023 - Comments (4)
Category: History, Humor, Parody, 1970s

April 11, 2023

Powdered Beer

A German brewery, Klosterbrauerei Neuzelle, has developed a powdered beer. Its rationale is that this will save on shipping costs, since eliminating the water from beer also eliminates most of its weight.

Two Daily Mail reporters tried it and claim it's actually not bad. A little flat, but drinkable.

The brewery has a history of coming out with unconventional beers, such as an anti-aging beer and a beer for bathing in.

More info: drinksbusiness

Posted By: Alex - Tue Apr 11, 2023 - Comments (6)
Category: Inebriation and Intoxicants

Weebles

Certainly one of the weirder toys that ever became popular. No distinguishing attraction other than wobbliness.



"You Jane, me Weeble!"









Posted By: Paul - Tue Apr 11, 2023 - Comments (2)
Category: Television, Toys, Advertising, 1970s

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Alex Boese
Alex is the creator and curator of the Museum of Hoaxes. He's also the author of various weird, non-fiction books such as Elephants on Acid.

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Paul has been paid to put weird ideas into fictional form for over thirty years, in his career as a noted science fiction writer. He has recently begun blogging on many curious topics with three fellow writers at The Inferior 4+1.

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