A new addition to our collection of period artifacts: an 1880s wooden wheelchair with original cane seat and back.
It is believed one of the first wheelchairs was invented for King Phillip of Spain in 1595. The King suffered from severe gout which made walking difficult. The first self propelled wheelchair was invented by a paraplegic German clock maker in 1655. In 1783, the “bath chair” was invented in Bath, England for sick and injured people visiting the famous Bath mineral springs. Throughout the 19th century, wheelchair design improvements were made including wooden framed chairs with backs and seats made of cane. After the Civil War, additional improvements were made such as wire spoked wheels and rubber tires. This wheelchair, which we were lucky enough to recently add to our collection, is estimated to be from the early 1880s. Wheelchair design improvements continued into the 20th century, with the folding tubular wheelchair being invented in 1932. Modern day wheelchairs are much lighter weight, more easily transported, and motorized in some cases.