As a child, I knew Winnie The Pooh was old, historical. I mean really, no one in my childhood days was lucky enough to have a Hundred Acre Woods to play in. We were fortunate enough to have a church down the street with trees and savanna-like grasses, and a creek a couple miles away.
It blew me away ( accidental pun) that Christopher Robin had a balloon back in “ancient” days.
A child who experimented and pondered, I had a few other doubts about the whole Pooh, balloon, mud-puddle, bee story. The balloon question stuck with me more.
In case you’re wondering, Christopher Robin had every right to own a balloon. Apparently, the rubber balloon was invented in 1824 by Michael Faraday for gas experiments. Shortly after (a year), Thomas Hancock, Rubber manufacturer, patented a balloon mold and went into production. He sold “make a balloon kits.”
Actual balloons were produced in 1847 by JG Ingram. Not mass produced, they were the playthings of upper echelon folks and guests at their children’s parties. Perhaps even those of the 100 Acre Woods fortune.
***Warning: latex balloons are pretty much guaranteed death by choking as they adhere to soft tissues too well.
Before the rubber balloon, people used animal membranes for science experimentation and toys. Ick! Whale intestines were the toy of choice in Swiss Family Robinson, circa 1813, other times it was sheep or pig stomachs.
The Aztecs started a balloon sculpting trend using cat intestines. :0 When they killed off all the cats, it was decided that the gods needed more human sacrifices so artists could use people intestines for their sculptures. Double ick!
This Tuesday Trivia Tidbit makes me thankful for Christopher Robin and his rubber balloon, though latex has a really stormy side, as well.
“Tut tut, it looks like rain.”