Extraordinary Origins of Everyday Things (85 page)

Brand (chef), 403

Brandt, Hennig, 108

Brassiere, 341–42

Bread, 400–1

Breakfast cereal, cold, 414

Breath freshener, 222

Breck, John, 220

Bride.
See
Marriage and wedding customs

Brighteners, clothes, 154

“Bring home the bacon,” 93

British Boy Scouts, 284

British Girl Guides, 285

Broken mirror superstition, 11

Brooks, John, 304

Brooks Brothers, 304, 323

Brooms, 142–43

Brown paper bag, 107–8

Broxodent, 210

Bruckman, Frederick, 421

Brummel, Beau, 306

Brunot, James, 379

Brushes, 142–43

tooth, 208–9

Bryan, Clark, 354

Bubble gum, 417–18

Budding, Edwin, 162

Bunsen, Robert von, 135–36

Bunting, George, 228

Burger, Reinhold, 116

Burial customs, 35, 37

Burnside, Gen. Ambrose Everett, 214–15

Burpee, W. A., 163–64

Burpee seeds, 163–64

Burt, Harry, 419–20

Button-down collar, 304

Buttonholes, 314–15

Buttons, 314–15

Butts, Alfred, 379

Byron, Lord, 180

Caffeine, 270

Cake

birthday, 31–33

“take the,” 94–95

wedding, 25–27

Canby, William J., 280

Candles

birthday, 33

at death services, 36–38

for lighting, 134–35

Can openers, 115–16

Canopy, 327

Cantor, Eddie, 397

Cardigan sweater, 304

Carnation, as Mother’s Day gift, 59

Carpet sweeper, 140–42

Carrier, Willis, 160

Carter, Jimmy, 62

Carver, George Washington, 393

Cascariolo, Vincenzo, 381–82

Castor, 241–42

Castor oil, 263

Catholic Church.
See also
Christianity

birthdays celebrations and, 33

halo, 40

New year’s celebrations and, 47

St. Valentine’s Day, 50–51

wigs and, 234–36

Cats, black, 13–15

Cavities, filling, 211

Cellophane, 129

Cellucotton, 206–7

Celluloid, 126–27

Celts, 3, 9.
See also
Druids Halloween, 62–63

Cemenius, Johannes Amos, 197

Central heating, 131–33

Cervical cap, 333

Chanel, Gabrielle (Coco), 243

Chanel No. 5 perfume, 243

Chapbooks, 197–98

Chapman, John, 274, 277–78

Charlemagne, Holy Roman Emperor, 25

Charles V, King of France, 79

Charles IX, King of France, 58

Chaucer, Geoffrey, 344, 345

Checkers, 377

Chemex coffeemaker, 121

Cherry Blossom Festival (Washington, D.C.), 282

Chesebrough, Robert Augustus, 247–48

Chess, 377

Chewing gum, 416–18

Chew sticks, 208–13

Chiclets, 418

Children.
See also
Fairy tales; Nursery rhymes

books for, 197–98

table manners, 85–87

China

chopsticks, 83

“Cinderella” (fairy tale), 173

eye drops, 261

fans, 312, 313

firecrackers, 383–84

ice cream, 418

kites, 371–72

nail polish, 226–27

New Year’s Eve, 47

pasta, 405–6

stimulants, 269–70

wheelbarrow, 166–67

yo-yo, 371

China dolls, 386–87

Chlorine bleach, 155–56

Chocolate chip cookies, 414–15

Chopsticks, 83

Christ, 33

Last Supper of, 13, 15–16

Christianity (Christians).
See
also
Catholic Church

birthdays and, 32–33

Christmas, 67–69

Easter, 55–58

halo, 40

ladder superstition, 17

pancakes, 406–7

prayer, 38–39

superstition and, 4–5

Christmas, 67–75

mistletoe custom, 68–69

Santa Claus, 72–75

Xmas as abbreviation for, 71

Christmas cards, 71–72

Christmas tree, 69–71

Cinderella (fairy tale), 172–73

Civet, 241

Clairol, 233

Claude, Georges, 136–37

Claudius II, Roman emperor, 50–51

Cleanser, 153

Clement of Alexandria, 224

Cleopatra, 236, 239

Clogs, 297

Clothes

chlorine bleach, 155–56

detergent, 152–54

whiteners and brighteners, 154–55

Clothes dryers, 146

Clothes irons, 143–46

Clothes washers, 146

Clothing and accessories, 294–325

bathing suit, 321–22

bloomers, 302

blue jeans, 302–3

boots, 296–97

brassiere, 341–42

buttons and buttonholes for, 314–15

designer labels, 324–25

fans, 312–13

gloves, 310

handkerchief, 311–12

hats, 308–10

hosiery, 343–44

knickers, 301–2

leotard, 302

neckties, 305–6

nightgown, 338–39

pants, 299–303

pockets, 300–1

purse, 311

rainwear, 320

ready-to-wear, 323–24

safety pin for, 313

shirts, 303–5

shoes, 294–96

sneakers, 298–99

stockings, 344–47

suits, 306

suspenders, 301

tuxedo, 307–8

umbrella, 318–19

underwear, 339–41

Velcro fasteners for, 317–18

zippers for, 316–17

Clover, four-leaf, 8

Cochrane, Josephine, 103, 104

“Cock-a-Doodle-Doo” (nursery rhyme), 186

Codpiece, 300

Coffeepots, 119–21

Coffin, 37

Coin flip, 15

Cold cream, 227–28

“Cold shoulder, give the” 94

Cole, Sir Henry, 71–72

Colgan, John, 416–17

Collar, button-down, 304

Cologne, 242–43

Combs, 237–38

Compton, Arthur, 137

Comstock Act, 338

Conception, 336

Condom, earl of, 335

Condoms, 334–36

Confucius, 14, 8S

Constantine I, Roman emperor, 55, 68, 72, 396

Contact lenses, 268–69

Con-Tact paper, 149

Containers, Tupperware, 129–30

Contraceptive methods.
Set
Birth control

Cookies, 411–15

animal, 412

chocolate chip, 414–15

Fig Newtons. 412–13

Oreos, 413

Cookware

aluminum, 101

porcelain, 100–01

pressure cooker, 121–22

Pyrex, 124–25

Teflon, 105–7

Coppertone, 261

Corelly Ware, 125

Corning Glass Works, 121, 124–25

Cosmetics and toiletries, 221–28.
See also
Grooming implements and accessories

Avon, 243–44

beauty patch and compact, 225–26

cold cream, 227–28

cologne, 242–43

creams, 227–28

Egyptian, 221–23

facial powder, 224

Greek, 222–24

hair styling and coloring, 231–33

lipstick, 225

moisturizers, 227

nail polish, 226–27

oils, 227

perfume. 238–42

Roman, 222–24

rouge, 224–25

shampoo, 219–20

soap, 217–19

Cosmopolitan
(magazine), 354–55

Coty, François, 242

Cough drops, 258–60

Cowboy hat, 310

Cowen, Joshua Lionel, 137–38

Cowles, Gardner, Jr., 360

Cox, Edwin W., 102

Cracker jack, 395

Crakows, 295

Cramer, Stuart W., 159–60

Cranberries, 66

Cream, whipped, 420–21

Criss Cross, 379

Crompton, R. E., 133

Cromwell, Oliver, 70

Crossword puzzle, 375–76

Crum, George, 388

Crumbine, Samuel, 123

Cub Scout program, 285

Cuisinart, 114–15

Culligan, Emmett, 104–5

Cummerbund, 307

Cumming, Alexander, 204

Cundall, Joseph, 178

Cupid, 51

Curling iron, 231

Curtis, Cyrus, 352–53

Curtsy, 44

Customs, 21–44.
See also
Holidays and other celebrations; Marriage and wedding customs; Table manners

birthdays, 31–35

bow and curtsy, 44

divorce, 30–31

funerals, 35–38

greeting, 42–44

halo, 40

handshake, 42–43

prayer, hands joined in, 38–39

rosary, 39–40

tipping one’s hat, 43

Cutlery, stainless steel, 89–90

Darrow, Charles B., 378, 379

Da Vinci, Leonardo, 268, 329

Davis, Jacob, 303

Davis, Jefferson, 290

Death days, 32

Death traditions, 35–38

Dental hygiene, 208–13

Dentures, 213–14

Deodorants, 254–55

Derby hats, 310

Descroisilles, R., 119

Detergent, 152–54

Dewar, Sir James, 116

Diamond Match Company, 110

Diamond engagement rings, 22–24

Dickens, Charles, 171

Dickinson, Thomas Newton, 252

Dickson, Earle, 250–51

Dinnerware, Corelly Ware, 125

Dish, 82

Dishwasher, 103–4

Disney, Walt, 176

Divorce, 30–31

“Dixie” (song), 289–90

Dixie Cup, 123–24

Dodd, Sonora Smart, 60

Dogs, as “spit runners,” 97–98

Doily, 82

Dolls, 384–87

Dorgan, Tad, 398, 399

Doughnuts, 415–16

Dowsing, J. H., 133

Dracula
(Stoker), 179–80

Dresses.
See
also
Clothes white wedding, 29–30

Drill, dental, 211

Drinking toasts, 91–92

Drugs.
See
Medicine-chest items

Druids

four-leaf clover superstition, 8

mistletoe, 68–69

Dryer

clothes, 146

hair, 236–37

Dubus-Bonnel, 157

Dujardin, William, 329

Duncan, Donald, 371

Dunstan, Saint, 4–5

Du Pont chemical company, 106, 129, 209–10, 346

Durand, Peter, 115

Durante, Jimmy, 397

Dyes, hair, 232

Earthenware, 96–97

Easter, 55–58

Easter bunny, 55–56

Easter eggs, 56–57

Eastman, 127, 128

“Eat humble pie,” 94

“Eat one’s hat,” 93–94

Ebers Papyrus, 245–46

Ebony
(magazine), 361

Edison, Thomas, 136, 193, 359

Edward I, King of England, 79

Edward VII, King of Great Britain, 307

Eggs, Easter, 56–57

Egyptians, 15

air-cooling system, 159

“amen,” 41

bathroom, 200

bedrooms, 326–27

birth control methods, 332–33

birthday celebrations, 31–32

board games, 376, 377

cats, 13–14

cosmetics, 221–23, 227

cough drops, 258

deodorants, 254

fans, 312

gloves, 310

handshake, 42–43

ladder superstition, 17

lighting, 133

marbles, 368–69

marriage ring, 22

mascara, 18–19

medications, 245–46

mirrors, 229

pancakes, 406–8

rattles, 373–74

table manners and customs, 77

“thumbs up” and “thumbs down” gestures, 9–10

toothbrush, 208

toothpaste, 210

umbrella superstitions 16