While the film industry has glorified the life of a spy, these covert agents were very useful in history. Spies employed a variety of espionage gadgets to gather intelligence, evade capture, and inflict harm on targets. The most well-known organizations include M16 and the KGB, with spies used widely during World War II, the Cold War, and beyond. Keep reading to learn about six of these intriguing espionage gadgets and what they were used for in the field.
6. Glove Guns
Starting our list of intriguing espionage gadgets is the glove gun. First developed by the U.S. Navy, the device contained a purpose-built miniature firearm disguised within a winter glove. The Soviet Union’s KGB designed a version of the glove gun, too. The aim of the glove gun was for agents to get closer to their enemies if the weapon was concealed. Once in range, the hidden trigger would be pressed to release a bullet.
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5. Suitcase Transceivers
Fifth on our list of espionage gadgets is the suitcase transceiver. First developed by the United Kingdom’s Special Communications Unit, the SAS and M16 soon adopted the technology. The “luggage case” was capable of sending and receiving messages worldwide. This device was especially important in November 1978 when Iranian demonstrators attacked the British Embassy in Tehran. While the power may have gone down, the embassy official relayed the news through a concealed transceiver device.
4. Pocket Litter
Next on our list of intriguing espionage gadgets is pocket litter. While this may seem unnecessary at first, it is essential to a spy’s attire. If an American spy is pretending to be a French national, they cannot have anything that might throw off their cover. By including pocket or wallet litter on their person, spies were able to trick locals about who they really were. Pocket litter could include matches from local restaurants, receipts, travel documents, and event tickets.
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3. Lipstick Pistols
Rounding out the top three espionage gadgets is the lipstick pistol. Similar to the glove gun, this device was used to get close to targets. One device was found in 1965 when American officials arrested and searched a suspicious individual at a roadblock in West Berlin, finding the concealed 4.5mm pistol in a lipstick holder. Also known as the “Kiss of Death,” the device was used by KGB-affiliated agents throughout the Cold War.
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2. Untraceable Letter-Opening Devices
Second on our list of intriguing espionage gadgets is the untraceable letter-opening device. Popular in World War II, the device allowed agents to read mail without its recipient knowing. The thin bar slid through the narrow opening at the top of an envelope fold. The letter would then be pinched and coiled around the metal bar until it could be slipped out of the envelope. Once read, the letter would be reinserted and unwound, with the recipient none the wiser.
1. Poison-tipped Umbrellas
Last but not least on our list of espionage gadgets is the poison-tipped umbrella. Soviet spies used the device to assassinate enemies of the state. The tip was filled with ricin, a slow-acting and at the time, virtually untraceable, poison. The most famous instance of the umbrella was in 1978, when Bulgarian dissident Georgi Markov was strolling across London’s Waterloo Bridge and felt a pinch in his leg as a man passed by. Just four days later, Markov was dead, and a tiny metal pellet was found lodged in his leg.
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