Hairdryers were developed during the early 1920s in Germany. Early models were very large, heavy and difficult to use as they were made of materials such as chrome-plated steel and had wooden handles.

Hairdryers were the first domestic appliances to be made from the new plastic materials that were being developed at the time, such as phenol/urea. The most well known of the phenol/urea plastics is called Bakelite. The use of plastic meant that the manufacture of hairdryers became quicker as the body could be moulded. It was also safer as plastic does not conduct electricity. The other advantage was that the plastic hairdryers were lighter than the early ones, although, by today's standards, they are still very heavy.

This hairdryer is from 1936 and is made in a cream coloured plastic and has a matching case. Inside the case there is a mirror and an aluminium stand for placing the hairdryer in upright. Originally, there was also a comb which fitted into the clips in the lid. The hairdryer has two switches, one for on / off and one for hot / cold. It has a red and black flex fitted to a phenol/urea plastic plug that would be screwed into a socket.