[GODREKR]

Yes, as photographed by Getty back in 1937, the “baby cage” was distributed among London members of the Chelsea Baby Club, touted as the antidote to families without gardens or easy access to the outside.

And London’s then East Poplar borough council also wanted a piece of the action – proposing to fix the cages to the outside of its tenement windows, the Telegraph reported.

The Northern Star states the contraption was designed by Emma Read, of Spokane, Washington, with a patent being filed in 1922 and granted a year later.

Literature from the patent reads: “It is well known that a great many difficulties rise in raising and properly housing babies and small children in crowded cities, that is to say from the health viewpoint.

“With these facts in view, it is the purpose of this invention to provide an article of manufacture for babies and young children, to be suspended upon the exterior of a building adjacent an open window, wherein the baby or young child may be placed.”

The patent adds the cage could also double as a bed and comes equipped with removable curtains to prevent unwanted drafts.

[GODREKR]

Later in 1969...

[30564U]

Can you imagine the law suits. It boggles the mind.

[vagabond]

What about bird poop? Were there ever any instances of these things collapsing, etc? Anybody know?

[murofhsirgo]

I would have so gotten into that thing just to get outside ffs

[unknown2u]

[CrunchyCripple]

What about someone dropping something from a higher window?

[CaSe]

The sewing basket looks like an upside down trashcan. And the mom is smexy.

[Karma]

Wish we had 'em for grown ups. There are a few I'd like to dangle out of a window….

[Sharon]

Old times, old thinking

Very interesting post Rekr, thanks