Posted 4 years ago
Retrofutura
(99 items)
While I was waiting for my Sweetie in the salon last week, I saw this vintage Helene Curtis Empress Standing Floor Model Professional Hair Dryer from the 1950s.
I love the way the logo lights up and shows the 3-Dimensional aspect of the raised lettering inside the lucite oval.
It has full adjustability and 4 settings for heat control available with a twist of the corded remote control dial, which was, I am sure, quite a big deal when you were sitting underneath that chrome bee-hive, anxious to get out and show off your newest hairdo!
Retrofutura, Um, cool? };-)
I looked up the listed patents, some of which date to the 19th century (I guess I can see why a hair dryer on wheels might need a brake, but a clutch is another matter):
https://pdfpiw.uspto.gov/.piw?PageNum=0&docid=00325209&IDKey=4D030D236A1A%0D%0A&HomeUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fpatft.uspto.gov%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fpatimg.htm
https://pdfpiw.uspto.gov/.piw?PageNum=0&docid=00328786&IDKey=CF787CD6DADE%0D%0A&HomeUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fpatft.uspto.gov%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fpatimg.htm
https://pdfpiw.uspto.gov/.piw?PageNum=0&docid=02240857&IDKey=1C47E4AF2C7B%0D%0A&HomeUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fpatft.uspto.gov%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fpatimg.htm
https://pdfpiw.uspto.gov/.piw?PageNum=0&docid=D0141888&IDKey=598401E72985%0D%0A&HomeUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fpatft.uspto.gov%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fpatimg.htm
https://pdfpiw.uspto.gov/.piw?PageNum=0&docid=D0141889&IDKey=D30501E71229%0D%0A&HomeUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fpatft.uspto.gov%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fpatimg.htm
A tidbit from US patent 2,240,857:
*snip*
Beauticians commonly treat the hair on human heads with a viscous liquid composed principally of water and a gum in solution therewith. The hair is then fashioned and embellished and finally dried with a hair drier. As the water is vaporized and removed by the air, the gum solidifies on the hair and fixes the embellishment of the coiffure.
*snip*
Makes ya wanna dash right down to your local purveyor of beauty treatments, don't it?
Here are some Helene Curtis Empress dryers along with some other beauty contraptions in action in the 1930s:
https://www.zeelandhistory.org/room-by-room/second-floor-main-street/1930s-beauty-parlor/
Wow “be U tee full” was it available for carry away