Machine Provides Permanent Wave In One Minute (Aug, 1937)
Filed under: Personal Appearance — @ 7:10 am
Source: Modern Mechanix ( More articles from this issue )
Issue: Aug, 1937
| Buy on Ebay
Source: Modern Mechanix ( More articles from this issue )
Issue: Aug, 1937
| Buy on Ebay
Machine Provides Permanent Wave In One Minute
A ONE-MINUTE permanent waving machine of new design has been developed by Ralph Shakour, Frank Feeney, and E. Riley of Springfield, Mass. The device features vertical heater elements that preheat thirty-six aluminum curler clips in groups of eighteen because the speed of the machine is so rapid it proved to be impractical to heat all the clips at the same time. The heater is divided into two units with safety switches and red safety lights. The clips are merely taken off the heater and placed upon the hair. By the time the eighteenth clip has been attached, it is time to remove the first one. The process of waving is then repeated.
Is it just me or is the, er, victim looking terrified?
Comment by Chakolate — November 6, 2007 @ 8:46 pm
Permanent waves were very unpleasant back then: the chemicals were even more caustic than they are now, plus they only worked if high heat was applied to the hair at the same time. Scalp burns were not unusual.
But at the same time straight hair was considered hideously butch, so women would do almost anything to get that desired curl.
Comment by Blurgle — November 6, 2007 @ 11:38 pm