Homer Simpson is not amused

The greaseless Bobby Brown is a triangular sugary treat, cooked in an electric appliance using moulds.

It costs less to make and sells four times as fast than old-fashioned doughnuts. Easy to digest and toothsome. So the ad says.

But it ain't a doughnut. They've got the shape wrong. That's the reason after all these years, donuts are still round.

"Greaseless", 1931
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Glow in the dark bottle

A small ad for the legendary bottle of "glow in the dark paint".

Guessing at the malevolent chemical responsible for the glow - the words "latest scientific discovery" point at a weak radium solution. But it could be a white phosphorus compound.

Radioactive or poisonous - back in 1931 those were minor details when selling a product.

"Luminous paint", 1931
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Play the Xylorimba

That's right - the "Deagan Xylorimba" is possibly the easiest musical instrument to learn. Ever. And it's also loads of fun within your reach!

"Xylorimba", 1931
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No teacher necessary -you can teach yourself, even if you can't read a single note of sheet music. And the ad even says that you can make lots of money playing at dances and weddings - sixty dollars a week was six times the average weekly wage - a really big incentive in the midst of the Great Depression.

But unfortunately, this ad has all the trademarks of a scam.

Magnetic sharpener

This has to be near the top of the list of loonie claims of the Twentieth Century.

"Harnessing Magnetic Energy" to sharpen a knife -or a razor blade like in this ad- by re-aligning the steel molecules at the edge. This ad just ticks all the right boxes: big words, dubious claims, a quasi-magical product with no competition and the promise of lots and lots of money.

"The most efficient shaving aid ever invented" seems to be just another direct sale scam. But the 1930's art is pretty sharp. Pun intended.

"Sharpen razor blades", 1931
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The Detec-to-cell

The art in this ad is fantastic -the images of the policeman with the gun and the car yelling for help make you want to buy this product.

It's an ad for selling the Robot Detec-to-cell- and the claims of the device are the usual barrage of hyperbole - but a sentence like "...stands constant and faithful guard..." deserves a special mention for creativity.

"Electric cell", 1931
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Operator number 38

This is one hard little devil of a mad ad. Have a look.

"Follow this man", 1931
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What does it actually sell?

Not a life of glamour as a James Bond apprentice in the 1930's. Not at all. That's what the weasel words in the ad make you believe.

It sells a "finger print operator methodology" or some other similar learn-by-mail scam. You pay for the informative report and then it's all downhill payments from there.

Are you sure this is safe? (3)

Let's start by pointing out that electricity and water are one of the worst possible combinations in the world of physics.

The principle of the Magic-like LUX ELECTRIC WATER HEATER seems practical in an era where hot-water plumbing was not common in older buildings.

But it does look kind of scary.

"Magic disc", 1931
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Would you go with one of these bad boys in a tub full of water?