Victorian Inventions

Victorian Inventions (1971) by Leonard de Vries – John Murray
Offered by Crappy Old Books – proudly stocking the dusty future of the past.

Step right up to the marvels of the Victorian age! Leonard de Vries’ Victorian Inventions is a gloriously eccentric scrapbook of gadgets, gizmos, and glorified contraptions from the age of steam, moustache wax, and wildly optimistic engineering. From spring-loaded burglar traps to early versions of the vacuum cleaner (terrifying), this 1971 gem gathers real patents, drawings, and oddities that prove the Victorians were either ingenious or completely unhinged.

This copy? Slightly foxed, mildly warped, and definitely handled by someone who once believed they could reinvent the umbrella. A perfect read for inventors, nostalgists, and fans of good old-fashioned British absurdity.

Crappy Old Books – Unearthing yesterday’s big ideas, one curling paperback at a time.

Near new condition. Hardback with dust jacket.

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