What inventions found a use far from their original purposes?

What inventions found a use far from their original purposes?

My late father was a professional photographer working for the Daily Express, a British newspaper. The photo above shows his old flash from the early 1950s, when his career began.

The brand is Kobold and it’s German. Just out of curiosity, I checked its value on EBay and found estimates around 20 to 40 dollars. Nothing spectacular.

Then an estimate lower down the list caught my eye: 300 dollars. Then another: 400 dollars. Huh?

Turns out the first Star Wars movie, now known as Episode IV (1977), was made on such a tight budget that the prop department trawled British junk shops for (preferably cheap) intergalactic weaponry ideas.

Which is how the handle of an original Kobold flash became a « droid caller » for Skywalker and Solo. They wore it on their belt. Kobold made silver and black versions of it.

I’ve now gifted my father’s Kobold to a devoted Star Wars fan.