From the Stone Age to the vibrator: a short history of the sex toy

As brands increasingly venture into the field of eroticism and pleasure, as series talk about sex education and as films flirt with BDSM , we might believe that the sex toy is the symbol of sexual liberation.

What if we told you that the invention of the adult toy predates Sex and the City by tens of thousands of years? In this article, we'll travel back in time to discover the history of the sex toy. All aboard! 

The prehistoric dildo

Did you know that the first sex toy found by archaeologists dates back to prehistory? More precisely, 28,000 years before Christ. We hadn't even invented writing yet, but we already knew how to give ourselves pleasure.

This object is a polished quartz stone cylinder, 20 cm long. Found in Germany near the city of Ulm, the object has markings on its top that clearly represent the glans of a penis .

Geisha balls and penis ring

After the first sex toys of prehistory, our time machine takes us to Imperial Japan with geisha balls . Despite their name, it would seem that the first models were intended to intensify male pleasure by being inserted into the anus .

Later, women, and especially Japanese companions, took possession of the toy by rolling it inside the vagina before intercourse.

These items are followed by the penis ring. While geisha balls are useful for women, cock rings allow men to maintain their erection longer.

Their origins can be traced back to ancient China, with the earliest models made from goat eyelids. Bon appétit. The 14th-century Ming dynasty opted for a more refined approach, creating penis rings from jade or ivory.

The arrival of the sacrosanct vibrator

In 1883, Joseph Mortimer Granville filed a patent for a steam-powered hammer bearing his name. The Granville Hammer is actually the very first vibrator in the world!

However, at the time, sexual stimulation of women was practiced for medical purposes. These early sex toys were then used to "calm hysteria" in their patients.

Then, the sexual revolution transformed the vibrator from a medical and psychiatric device into a pleasure object. Initially appearing as a household item like a rolling pin or an egg beater, it gradually found its way into the intimacy of homes.

Electricity allows for a vibrator that is more powerful and much lighter than its steam-powered counterpart. Little by little, it is becoming an integral part of couples' lives.

A century after the invention of the vibrator, the American company Vibrex launched one of the most iconic vibrators: the rabbit .

It's official: sex toys have become just another consumer product . The market is growing, and we're seeing a proliferation of toy models of all sizes and uses. 

Clitoral suckers, inflatable dolls, etc.: pleasuring oneself these days

Today, brands are competing with inventiveness and originality to offer increasingly innovative sex toys to the public.

Technology and increasingly in-depth research on female anatomy are making it possible to offer more efficient products.

For example, clitoral suction devices target clitoral stimulation, the epicenter of female sexual pleasure. Thanks to an air propulsion system, they offer sensations different from vibration and reliably guide us to seventh heaven.

Connected devices are reinventing the way we experience pleasure alone or with a partner , thanks to apps that allow us to control vibrations remotely. A small revolution for those who like to enjoy themselves in public without anyone knowing, or for couples in long-distance relationships . 

We hope this brief overview of Coco 's ancestors has taught you that pleasuring oneself with objects has always been part of our history. Today, the adult toy market is estimated at tens of billions of dollars annually. The future of sex toys is bright!