Dishwashers, electric light bulbs, gramophones, motion picture cameras, radios, roller skates, typewriters. While these inventions seem to speak of the 20th century, they all in fact date from the 19th century. The Victorian age (1837-1901) was a period of enormous technological progress in communications, transport and many other areas of life. Illustrated by the original patent drawing from The British Library's extensive collection, this attractive book chronicles the history of the 100 most important, innovative and memorable inventions of the 19th century. The vivid picture of the Victorian age unfolds as inventions from the ground-breaking such as aspirin, dynamite, and the telephone to the everyday like blue jeans and tiddlywinks are revealed decade by decade. Together they provide a vivid picture of Victorian life. Along with informative descriptions of how the inventions and their patenting came about, the lives of the inventors and their circumstances provide entertaining insights into this world.