I have always had a certain fascination with the spy world.
Growing up, I dreamed about having my own secret spy equipment, like this amazing car that also transforms into a submarine. Of course, I'd have settled for a simple set of walkie talkies as well.
So when I spotted these old-school spy gadgets from the early part of last century, my inner child was screaming from excitement!
Though America's spy program has been around since the 1900s, it really gained popularity during WWII, with rumors that celebrities like chef Julia Childs and author Roald Dahl were secretly living a double life and working for the government.
Of course, the espionage industry was then further glamorized by the James Bond movies, with spy gadgets becoming increasingly unique and discreet.
Scroll through below to see just how "spy tech" changed the way we gather information with some of the coolest spy gadgets I've ever seen!
Which of these spy gadgets would you want? Let us know in the comments!
[H/T Mental Floss, Bonhams]
The Steineck ABC camera was introduced in 1948 and — you guessed it — is a watch you wear to spy on the enemy.
Spy cameras have been around since the late 1800s, and the technology in this gear was invented by Mr. Walter Zapp. This piece in particular was popular among hobbyists and private detectives.
This gorgeous gold ring is also a tiny, secret camera.
Developed in Italy, this spy camera was perfect for capturing the enemy close-up and personal. It was one of the smallest cameras ever made and was way ahead of its time.
This is an even older model of the watch camera.
Disguised as a pocket watch back in the day, it was capable of discreet photography. This vintage piece was the perfect spy-ware for close encounters with the bad guys.
This piece of spy tech definitely looks James Bond worthy.
Developed by the same makers who produced those iconic cigarettes, this gear came as a matching set: box of cigarettes and a lighter. With the 16mm film, a spy could ideally take up to 18 photos during faux smoke breaks. Unfortunately, this spy gear was never actually used by the U.S. Army.
This spy binocular-camera was developed and patented in France.
While posing as a regular set of binoculars, this piece of gear could also take long-range photographs. These binoculars were perfect for gaining evidence on the enemy while at a comfortable and safe distance.
The Kodak Matchbox Camera was developed by the Kodak company in 1944.
The U.S. Office of Strategic Services, recognizing its usefulness, found a way to stealthily employ it during World War II. The matchbox camera was small enough to slip into a coat pocket, but powerful enough to gather photo intelligence.
This little device is the Mast concealable camera.
Designed by the same company behind the Lucky Strike camera, the Mast was commissioned by the United States government, but never went beyond the prototype stage. It's also the only remaining camera of its kind in the world.
The Taschenbuch book camera was developed in Frankfurt, Germany in 1888.
Perfect for sliding between literature on your book shelf, this camera could easily spy on your enemies as they relaxed in your office. Resembling just another novel, this camera could capture discreet photographs while you entrapped the bad guys.
Yet another concealed camera, this one could be worn in your vest.
This camera type not only fit in a vest pocket, it could be hidden so that the narrow lens opening looked through the vest pocket's buttonhole.
Popularized during the Cold War, one would simply slip their hand into their pocket and press the lever to take a photo.
Is it a gun or a secret spying device? It's both — it's the Mamiya pistol camera.
Research on pistol-shaped cameras started in Japan in the late 1940s, instigated by the rising need for a greater police force. The intended use was to catch photographic evidence of criminal behavior while still in the act.
This Doryu 2-16 is yet another Japanese pistol gun intended for the police force.
Like a real pistol, the Doryu has a bullet magazine, which is instead filled with cartridges for flash photography. Unfortunately, the Doryu wasn't as successful as the Mamiya, and the camera gun was discontinued in 1956.
The Photo Revolver was a French version of the camera gun.
This piece of spy technology was perfect for whipping out your "gun" at just the right moment, and came with a handy case to boot.
These camera guns look less like real guns, but were the prototypes that helped inspire the later Japanese versions.
Another camera designed specifically for police was the Expo police camera.
This covert camera was developed in New York, and while it isn't shaped like a gun, it was still handy for surveillance. The Expo is about the size of kitchen matches, making it extra discreet.
Latvia's Minox A cameras aren't actually disguised as another item.
However, they were small enough to be easily hidden from sight. Used by both sides of the Cold War (the CIA and the KBG), this little device was still hugely popular through the 1990s.
Espionage has been a useful military tool throughout our history. These fascinating tools made spying so much easier for secret agents around the world!
Which of these spy gadgets would you want to have? Let us know in the comments.
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Thumb Photo Source: StashVault
