A Brief History of Giant Bubbles

Extreme Bubbles Inc. set the first world record for largest free floating soap bubble on October 9th 2005.

The new world record setting big bubble was 105.4 cubic feet. If the big bubble was filled with water, it would weigh 3.2 tons.

We created the giant bubble using our proprietary bubble solution, beeboo Big Bubble Mix, and a custom made two-handled big bubble wand similar in style to the Extreme Bubbles PRO Wand. 

Read on for a brief summary of the History of Giant Bubbles and the artists and inventors who have helped shape the world of big bubbles.

• In 1960 inventor Arthur Fulton was granted the first patent on a flexible loop bubble toy. His toy had a ribbon like loop attached to a long rod. This allowed the loop to be compressed and inserted into a small container of bubble solution, then expanded to open the loop and create a large bubble. Arthur called his popular big bubble toy "Bubbleloon".
  
  Arthur Fulton was born on a farm near Selma, Iowa, in the southeastern part of the state.  He earned a BS in mechanical engineering from Iowa State College in Ames and worked for a time at John Deere tractor works in Waterloo, Iowa.
  
  In addition to inventing the world’s first flexible loop big bubble wand, Arthur went on to invent many more amazing consumer products, toys, and much more. Another of Arthur's ingenious inventions was an indestructible ball made of wood strips and rivets. Arthur passed away on the same farm he was born on. He died on his 89th birthday, the 4th of July.
• In 1987 inventor David Stein was granted a patent on his toy, "The Bubble Thing". It also used a ribbon like loop attached to a long rod but with an improved mechanism to open and close the bubble loop. It also added a weight at the center bottom of the loop. With this device David started a worldwide fascination with giant bubbles and created the outdoor bubble sport.
• In 1988 David Stein went on to set the first world record for the longest bubble tube, 50 feet long.
• In 1986 inventor Kalvin Klundt designed the first giant bubble maker with two long handles, named Dip Stix™. He was later granted two US patents on his design. It used two long rods to support and control the flexible bubble loop and a unique round cord with a double coil. The loop absorbs and releases the large amount of bubble solution needed to create huge bubbles.
• In 1997 Alan McKay set a new world record for the longest bubble tube while using the two handled big bubble wand design. His bubble tube measured an incredible 113 feet.
• In 2005 Extreme Bubbles Inc. set a new world record for the largest free floating soap bubble, measuring 105.4 cubic feet. This was the first time a big bubble was created and measured by volume, while freely floating through the air. You can see our big bubble record published in the Guinness World Record Book 2008 and 2010 Editions.

Who will be the next world record holder? It could be you! Ready to try? Order Extreme Bubble products. Made in USA.