Dance on the stump of a sequoia: "without suffering any inconvenience" (1853)

"Upon this stump, however incredible it may seem, on the 4th of July, 32 persons were engaged in dancing four sets of cotillions at one time, without suffering any inconvenience whatever; and, besides these, there were two musicians and lookers on" (Hutchings' Illustrated California magazine, March 1859).

Hors d'oeuvres were served prepared from freshest baby whales!

How to make a pig's head

So, you need to make a pig's head, ugh? Victorian ingenuity to the rescue:

"Fix a glass between the teeth and cover the glass and head with a handkerchief, marking the pig's eyes with ink. Sounds in imitation of a pig will be magnified to a surprising extent by the resonance of the glass."

Seriously, don't try this one at home. You just might look weird or suffocate.

Lorgnette goggles -- actual 1914 design

This design was supposed to "dispense with the awkward and ungainly fastening now customarily used upon goggles," permitting "the wearer to readily hold the goggles in position to protect the eye when it is desired or to remove the goggles at times when there is no necessity for protection, such as when an automobile is stopped or going merely at a slow rate of speed."

Lawn Tennis in 1995 (a view from 1885)

Always interesting how people in the past imagined the life in the following centuries. In this particular case, the artist attempts to guess how far the emancipation of women will go. If you notice, the two young ladies are playing lawn tennis with nothing else but a miniaturized gentleman.