They were design statements.
And honestly?
They still are.
🔥 How They Worked: Beauty Meets Bravery
These weren’t just decor.
They were real, working fire extinguishers — once upon a time.
Here’s How to Use One (Back in the Day):
Grab the extinguisher by the brass neck
Hurl it at the base of the fire
The glass shatters
The chemical inside reacts, suppressing flames
Yes — you threw it like a grenade.
No hoses.
No nozzles.
No pumping.
Just aim and release.
What Was Inside?
Most contained:
Carbon tetrachloride (CTC) — a colorless liquid that vaporizes and smothers electrical and small liquid fires
Or foam-forming chemicals — for grease or oil fires
⚠️ Today, we know CTC is toxic and ozone-depleting — so these are not safe to use now.
But in the 1920s–1950s?
It was cutting-edge fire tech.
🏛️ A Symbol of a Bygone Era
These extinguishers were everywhere:
