The fascinating and magical story of fridge magnets, popular for a very long time, and always very popular
You certainly know what the fridge magnets and you have seen or used several, but have you ever wondered what their origin is? Magnets have been around for thousands of years, although obviously in different forms than we are used to today. Fridge magnets, on the other hand, date back to the mid-20th century, when the habit of attaching them to the famous household appliance became more and more widespread. Here is their fascinating and magical story.
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The origins of magnets
The ancient Greeks discovered the existence of natural stones that were able to attract others, and which therefore had magnetic properties. However, some argue that the origin is even more ancient, Chinese and Indians apparently knew them even before.
The name magnet derives from Magnesia, a locality in Asia Minor where there were numerous deposits of rocks capable of attracting iron. While the term magnet is a synonym mostly used in the non-scientific field. But the meaning is pretty much the same.
Towards the middle of the 400th century, when it was discovered that the Earth behaved like a huge magnet, magnetic needles began to be used to create compasses. While the use of magnets in the commercial field only began at the beginning of the 900s.
The first fridge magnets
In 1913 the first commercial refrigerator was created by Fred W. Wolf but it was a long time before the magnets began to act as decorative elements of this appliance.
The very first models designed specifically for refrigerators were invented in the mid-20th century by Sam Hardcastle, who exploited an idea destined for a completely different sector, that of astronautics. In fact, he had been commissioned by companies in the space industry to invent magnetic letters and numbers that were more "performing" than those in use until then, made with a piece of plastic to which a magnet was attached.
Sam Hardcastle mixed iron oxide with vinyl, a slightly flexible plastic, and thus obtained much better magnets because they are fully magnetized. He understood its potential and decided to try to create different types, also in the form of souvenirs. While developing fridge magnets, William Zimmerman acquired the first patent in the 70s for a new type of cartoon-inspired magnets for household appliances.
Needless to say, they immediately achieved resounding success, also because the magnets, as well as being nice to see, were useful for attaching photos, drawings, notices to the refrigerator. And all kinds of them were born over the years, even dedicated to travel.
Fridge magnets today come in virtually any shape and size, especially since their decorated side can only be limited by one's imagination. Fridge magnets have also become popular as souvenirs and promotional items because they are relatively cheap to produce, but with a real "mass appeal". But the charm of fridge magnets is also to be found in that nostalgia that brings to mind the days when magnets were magical and scientific experiments with iron filings were amazing. And, today, raise your hand if you do not give in to the temptation to immediately attach a calm to a fridge or any steel surface.
Curiosities about fridge magnets
The largest collection of magnets belongs to Louise J. Greenfarb of Henderson of Nevada, United States. According to the Guinness Book of Records, Greenfarb had a whopping 19.300 fridge magnets in 1997. In 2002, her collection, which grew to 29.000 magnets, was also mentioned in the British "Book of Alternative Records". In 2009, by an unofficial tally, she would have reached 40.000 units, plus 10.000 spare "duplicates" that she uses to trade with other collectors. To date, there are no estimates of how many magnets his incredible collection boasts and how much the individual pieces are worth.
But what is the most expensive refrigerator magnet in the world? As of 2010 it's the FridgePad, essentially a magnetic bracket that turns your iPad into a refrigerator door-mounted kitchen computer and the world's largest and most expensive fridge magnet. (even if the bracket itself costs about 70 euros, the record refers to the price combined with the iPad, especially if the latest generation).
Fridge magnets, therefore, continue to evolve. Not only are they used to post artwork, grocery lists or baby reminders on the refrigerator door, they have also become multifunctional. There are now fridge magnets with calendar and notepads, magnetic business cards and even interactive fridge magnets. Beautiful, functional and absolutely harmless to health.
But can the same be said for the fridge? Yes, as long as they are not used on latest generation refrigerators, super-technological ones and equipped with touch screens. The magnetostatic fields generated by the magnets could slightly damage the refrigerator doors, without however affecting the food inside or our health in the least.
FONTI: Classic Magnets /Dandy
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