Hoaxes and Imposters and Imitators
The Cures of Albert Abrams
As his Wikipedia page tells us:Albert Abrams (December 8, 1863 – January 13, 1924) was a controversial American physician, well known during his life for inventing machines, such as the "Oscilloclast" and the "Radioclast", which he falsely claimed could diagnose and cure almost any disease.[1] These claims were challenged from the outset. Towards the end of his life, and again shortly after his death, many of his machines and conclusions were demonstrated to be intentionally deceptive or false.[2]
He actually published a whole periodical devoted to his theories. Read an issue here.
Hugo Gernsback, the father of modern science fiction, was having none of this, running the expose below in a 1923 issue of his magazine SCIENCE AND INVENTION.
Posted By: Paul - Fri Oct 14, 2022 -
Comments (3)
Category: Frauds, Cons and Scams, Hoaxes and Imposters and Imitators, Medicine, Patent Medicines, Nostrums and Snake Oil, 1920s
Inflatable Woman’s Bathing Suit Top
We've all seen those famous vintage ads that show inflatable bras.
But I had not realized that the gimmick had been applied also to bikinis. I cannot find any such currently for sale, however, which seems to show the idea was...a bust!
Source of article: The Paducah Sun (Paducah, Kentucky) 30 Jul 1992, Thu Page 11
Posted By: Paul - Tue Sep 20, 2022 -
Comments (9)
Category: Fashion, Hoaxes and Imposters and Imitators, Oceans and Maritime Pursuits, 1990s
Fur-bearing Trout
In 1935, a newspaper article revealed the supposed existence of "fur-bearing trout."
Article source: Napa Journal (Napa, California) 17 Feb 1935, Sun Page 4
Then humorist Robert Benchley wrote a piece on it.
Article source: Cumberland Evening Times (Cumberland, Maryland) 23 Feb 1935, Sat Page 3
Since then, the legend continues to resurface, down to the present day.
Article source: Lansing State Journal (Lansing, Michigan) 03 May 1964, Sun Page 70
Posted By: Paul - Thu Aug 18, 2022 -
Comments (1)
Category: Cryptozoology, Hoaxes and Imposters and Imitators, Lakes, Ponds, Rivers, Streams, Swamps and Other Bodies of Fresh Water, Fish, 1930s, North America
RIP David Bawden, aka Pope Michael
An innocuous obit.Full article here.
His Wikipedia page says:
He stated in 2009 that he had approximately 30 "solid followers".[2] In 1990 Bawden was elected pope by a group of six laypeople, including himself and his parents, who had come to believe that the Catholic Church had apostatized from the Catholic faith since Vatican II, and that there had been no legitimate popes elected since the death of Pope Pius XII in 1958.[3] In 2011, he was ordained a priest and consecrated a bishop by an Independent Catholic bishop
Posted By: Paul - Thu Aug 04, 2022 -
Comments (1)
Category: Hoaxes and Imposters and Imitators, Religion, North America
Aleister Crowley on Wax
The famous evil mage Aleister Crowley can be heard via a wax cylinder recording.
Listen to his chants--if you dare!
Posted By: Paul - Tue Jun 21, 2022 -
Comments (3)
Category: Eccentrics, Hoaxes and Imposters and Imitators, Supernatural, Occult, Paranormal, 1910s, United Kingdom
Petrarch’s Cat
If you make a visit to Italy and visit the museum-home of the author Petrarch, you will get to see the mummified body of his adored cat.Or so the legend goes. Actually, the cat corpse is a mere four hundred years old, created by the person who owned the house in the 1600s.
Read about it here.
Posted By: Paul - Sun Jun 12, 2022 -
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Category: Hoaxes and Imposters and Imitators, Historical Figure, Cats, Europe
Perkin Warbeck, Pretender to the British Throne
Essay here.
Dealing with Warbeck cost Henry VII over £13,000 (equivalent to £10,301,000 in 2019)
Wikipedia page.
Posted By: Paul - Sat Feb 26, 2022 -
Comments (2)
Category: History, Historical Figure, Hoaxes and Imposters and Imitators, Royalty
St. Rumwold—the youngest saint
Due to the vagaries of medieval spelling, Rumwold is also known as Rumald, Rumbold, Grumbald, Rumbald, etc. The story goes that Rumwold was born in 662 and only lived for three days. But during that brief time he demonstrated the ability to speak and recited the Lord's Prayer. So, after his death, he was made a saint.
image source: .johnsanidopoulos.com
While a three-day-old saint is, on its own, odd enough, my favorite part of his story involves the picture of him that later hung in Boxley Abbey in Kent. It was used as a test of a woman's chastity. Those who were chaste would easily be able to lift the picture. But if a woman was not chaste, the picture would mysteriously become so heavy that she wouldn't be able to lift it.
The secret, unknown by those trying to lift the picture, was that it could be held in place (or not) by a wooden rod concealed behind it.
The story of the unliftable portrait is told by Sidney Heath in Pilgrim Life in the Middle Ages (1911):
His image at Boxley is said to have been small, and of a weight so light that a child could lift it, but that it could at times become so heavy that it could not be moved by persons of great strength.
Thomas Fuller, the quaint old divine, tells us that "the moving hereof was made the conditions of women's chastity. Such who paid the priest well might easily remove it, whilst others might tug at it to no purpose. For this was the contrivance of the cheat — that it was fastened with a pin of wood by an invisible stander behind. Now, when such offered to take it who had been bountiful to the priest before, they bare it away with ease, which was impossible for their hands to remove who had been close-fisted in their confessions. Thus it moved more laughter than devotion, and many chaste virgins and wives went away with blushing faces, leaving (without cause), the suspicion of their wantonness in the eyes of the beholders; whilst others came off with more credit (because with more coin), though with less chastity."
Posted By: Alex - Mon Nov 01, 2021 -
Comments (2)
Category: Babies, Hoaxes and Imposters and Imitators, Religion, Medieval Era
California Soap Mine
Was the 1855 Soap Mine tale just a prank or hoax? What about the 1901 article, in third place, which sounds a little more scientific?
Source.
Source.
Source.
Posted By: Paul - Mon Aug 16, 2021 -
Comments (3)
Category: Freaks, Oddities, Quirks of Nature, Hoaxes and Imposters and Imitators, Humor, Hygiene, Regionalism, Natural Wonders, Nineteenth Century, Twentieth Century
Banvard’s Folly
I am halfway thru reading this book and can testify to its greatness, and to its allure for all WU-vies. I have already learned about so many hoaxes, weirdos and charlatans I never knew about before.Here's how the book opens:
Posted By: Paul - Thu Jul 01, 2021 -
Comments (8)
Category: Frauds, Cons and Scams, History, Historical Figure, Hoaxes and Imposters and Imitators, Inventions, New Age, Supernatural, Occult, Paranormal, Books, Goofs and Screw-ups
| Who We Are |
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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, science-themed books such as Elephants on Acid and Psychedelic Apes. Paul Di Filippo 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. Contact Us |