A vintage black-and-white photograph of Polish-Australian artist and inventor Slawa Duldig standing outdoors on a paved path in front of a building with greenery. She is smiling warmly at the camera, holding an open umbrella overhead with one hand to shield from rain or sun. Slawa wears a wide-brimmed hat, a long light-colored trench coat with buttons and lapels and a high-collared dark blouse. She holds a small object (possibly a purse or camera) in her lowered hand. The image captures her poised, elegant, and cheerful demeanor, reflecting her creative spirit in the early to mid-20th century.
A black-and-white technical patent drawing (Patent No. 318,577) from Slawa Duldig's 1920s–1930s invention of the collapsible umbrella. The blueprint-style illustration on a dark background shows multiple detailed figures: Fig. 1 depicts a side view of the fully opened umbrella with a curved rib frame, central shaft, and hinged mechanisms; Fig. 2 shows a top-down view of the octagonal or circular canopy spread with numbered ribs and pivot points; Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 illustrate collapsed, folded, or transitional states with dotted lines indicating motion, including the unique reversible cover mechanism that allows the umbrella to be turned inside out without damage. Labels, numbers (e.g., 1–15), and dotted motion lines highlight the mechanical components such as the shaft (3), handle (4), ribs (6–9), and sliding joints (10, 14, 15). The sheet includes the title "COMPLETE SPECIFICATION," patent number, and a note indicating it is a reduced-scale reproduction of the original drawing. This diagram represents Duldig's innovative umbreall design.
Polish artist Slawa Duldig patented a design for an improved umbrella in 1929.
The innovation: a foldable umbrella with a telescoping mechanism. It was compact in design, enabling it to fit into handbags, a revolutionary feature at the time. #inventor 🗃️