Although the first vehicle to move under its own power (for which there is documentation) was built by M. Brezin in 1769, it really wasn’t until the end of the 19th century that a flurry of automobile-building activity took off.

One of the first cabs off the rank (sorry about that!) to start to pull things together was Karl Daimler, who set up a deal with William Steinway (of piano fame) to produce petrol engines for tramcars, boats, quadricycles and fire engines. In fact Steinway was the owner of the Daimler Motor Company which by 1891 was in full production.

Interesting sidenote – Karl Benz never actually met Gottlieb Daimler…

It was the Duyrea brothers who actually developed the first gasoline automobile in the US in 1893. They modified an old horse buggy and drove it around for about 3 months. Maybe it didn’t run very well, because it didn’t run again, and some 25 years later ended up in a museum.

In 1893 Henry Ford joined the fray. However it wasn’t until 3 years later that he finished his first car. Another 3 years later he established the Detroit Motor Company but never actually sold a production automobile. He shut down the company 2 years later in 1901.

These early days of automobile development also saw the birth of the very first pedal ride on cars. Of course, just like the automobiles themselves, these were very expensive and only for the very wealthy. Most were modeled on the real cars around at the time

The popularity of ride on cars rose in the 20s and 30s, right alongside the rise of better automobiles. However, production slumped in the 40s, when all metal was diverted for the war effort.

After the war, through the 50s and 60s, ride on cars became very popular, and far more affordable. Indeed in the new-found postwar prosperity, ride on cars were available in all major stores. Again, these models basically copied the design of real automobiles, with many different designs and colors. All kinds of detail, such as chrome detailing, white walled tires and fancy paint jobs were everywhere.

As plastics became the materials of choice for manufacturing ride on cars, so it was at the same time that they no longer copied the “real” cars’ designs.

At the same time as the prevalence of plastics, the new designs no longer copied the adult automobile designs any more.

So where are we today?

Although most ride on cars and toys are made of plastic, there are still some companies making old style replicas. However, as you’d expect, they aren’t going to be cheap! These days, too, we aren’t limited to ride on cars, but also fire engines, jeeps, bulldozers and planes.

Of course, because most ride on cars are made from plastic, it means they don’t cost a fortune. So you really don’t have any excuse NOT to get one for your little tyke, do you?

Wedding is a special moment in a couple’s life and it is the beginning of their life as husband and wife. So why not buy the newlyweds a wedding gift that is unique for they. With all of the wedding gifts available in the market today, it is sometimes hard to narrow it down to the one that couple will love. However there are some unique wedding gift ideas which the bride and groom are surely love.

One of the unique wedding gift ideas is gift basket which can be tailored and customized to the personality of the couple. Whenever you are looking to add some romance to their wedding night, you could have a gift basket sent to their honeymoon suite. You could also include in the basket some wine and glasses, chocolates, massage lotion and candles. This is a great way to unwind after all the stress of pulling the wedding together.

Preparing and planning for a wedding can be both stressful and tiring. A unique wedding gift idea that is definitely help to relieve the couples tensions while at the same time rejuvenate them is a spa gift certificate. You can give the couple a spa gift certificate as a gift before or after their wedding.

Another unique wedding gift idea will be scrapbook which is quickly sweeping the nation nowadays. You could easily turn their wedding photos into a great album that they will cherish and appreciate forever. Another alternative is putting baby photos of the newlyweds into a great scrapbook. No matter which route you choose to go, the couple will certainly love the scrapbook.

An etched glass wedding invitation is another great unique wedding gift idea that you can consider. The newlywed couple will certainly be able to cherish their wedding invitation if it is etched in glass. You could also have the couple vows or a meaningful verse etched on a glass sculpture.

Whenever you are economically able to, a unique wedding gift idea would be tickets to an exotic place as the couples honeymoon. The couple probably will want to get away after the wedding to celebrate their marriage. What better way to help them out than to book a place they are sure to love.

Whenever you want to make a special couples wedding a moment that they will never forget, be sure to think about some of the above wedding gift ideas. Each wedding couple is special and unusual in their own way so why not make the gift as unique and special as the newlyweds. Whatever wedding gift you select for the lovely couple, they are sure to love it and will remember your care for many years.