Wife Taming Device

In 1862, Harry Tap invented a device that he hoped would calm his nagging wife. He built six of them, one of which survives to this day and was recently featured on Antiques Roadshow. It's not for sale, but is owned by a museum in Yorkshire:

The inscription down the side reads: 'Hen Pecked Club's Peace Box No. 6, Patent Cure for a Cross Wife.'

The museum's Dale Keeton said: 'The idea of this Hen Pecked Club was that you made your wife very, very happy - black her shoes, make her porridge, carry her handbag.

'If after all that she still henpecked you, you would get some of your friends round, draw back the lid, put your wife in and rock her gently until she was asleep.

'I think it was just a really good excuse for a load of guys to go to the pub.'

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