Oldest working electric hairdryer

British hairdryer set world record in 2010:
An 80-year-old electric hairdryer, made by a Siemens branch in Britain, is setting the world record for the oldest working electronic hairdryer. It remains in perfect working order and, according to its owner, retired insurance company director John Wilcox, it has never broken down or even needed a service,
The dryer's only controls are on/off and hot/cold. It came with a Bakelite carry-case – now slightly cracked – complete with a vanity mirror.
The brown Bakelite item's only concession to technological advances has been a new plug – and only then because its original round-pin type became obsolete.
Though Siemens is a German firm, according to the engineering history website Grace's Guide, it established Siemens Electric Lamps and Supplies Ltd in Britain in 1931 to manufacture domestic appliances such as this dryer.
Mr Wilcox, 83, from Paignton, Devon, recalls watching his mother Florrie use it at the family home in Birmingham, 70 years ago.

Kay Wilcox shows off the 1930s Bakerlite hairdryer.

 

They progress from an unfettered look in her teens to a more structured cut. 'Having an electric hairdryer in the Thirties was still a luxury for women,' said Mrs Wilcox.

1960s Hairdryer commercial

History of the Hairdryer

The hairdryer is a common hairstyling tool that most women cannot live without. They are made by thousands of manufacturer's world wide and come in a variety of colors and sizes. The blow dryer has come a long way from it's humble beginnings. Blow dryer's are a must have tool for modern day hairstyling.

A French hairstylist invented the first hair dryer in 1890. Alexandre F. Godefroy's blow dryer consisted of a bonnet that attached to the chimney pipe of a gas stove. This was the first hood dryer ever made.

1920's Hairdryer

Hand held blow dryers were introduced in 1920. They resembled a vacuum cleaner, and some vacuum cleaners had attachments for drying the hair. The hairdryer was manufactured by the Hamilton Beach Company and the Universal Motor Company

1930's

• By the 1930's gas powered hairdryers had been invented. They did not last long because they were too harsh on the hair. The standard hood dryer was also invented which remains the staple hair dryer in beauty salons. Original hand held dryers were extremely heavy and were made from chrome plated steel.

1950's

By the mid 1950's, newer models had silent running motors which were compact and housed inside of the fan. This allowed the hairdryer to be less noisy and bulky. The hairdryers had elegant designs and were brightly colored. The portable case hair dryer was also invented and could be worn like a handbag over the shoulder.

Modern Day 

With the advances of technology modern day blow dryers are sleek and sophisticated. Modern hairdryers are made using tourmaline crystal ionic technology, or nanofusion. Tourmaline is a silicate that is believed to create shiny smooth hair. Nano technology is said to kill bacteria and viruses.