Extraordinary Everyday: Umbrellas
5/6/202613 min
The umbrella has seen more than rain.For centuries, its silhouette has barely changed — but its story is anything but ordinary. From ancient status symbol and sun shield to political prop and covert weapon, the umbrella has quietly intersected with power, fashion and invention. In this episode, we trace the dramatic design evolution of an everyday object we only notice when it rains.
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First 90 secondsSpeaker 00:00
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Anthony Burke· Host0:05
[upbeat music] I'd like you to think about the most basic tool you use most often every day. It could be a pen, a fork, a watch, ordinary everyday objects that you take for granted. They might not look flashy, but once upon a time, they were a design revolution. So what do we take for granted now that once caused a stir? Welcome to Extraordinary Everyday, where we take the objects you may barely notice and trace their surprising and often delightful design evolution. [upbeat music] Its silhouette hasn't changed much for centuries, but the umbrella has lived a surprisingly eventful life. From shielding ancient Egyptians from the sun to concealing the occasional assassin's weapon, this modest object of shelter has a design history far more dramatic than it lets on. And who better to guide us through it than Marian Ranken, author of Brollyology: A History of the Umbrella in Life and Literature. Hello, Marian.
Marian Ranken· Guest1:18
Hello. How are you?
Anthony Burke· Host1:19
Thank you for joining me today and talking about the bro- the humble brolly. So when do we see the first umbrella in history?
Marian Ranken· Guest1:26
Probably in ancient China. Dates thrown around are about