“Strafraum” (“penalty”). A German illustration of a “spanking machine,” 1930s
 
Now before you read any further into this post, you should know that I’m not at all a fan of corporal punishment. However, I am very much a fan of the great lengths inventors and perhaps sometimes kinky “free-thinkers” are willing to go to when it comes to building an automated contraption that does things that a human would normally do.
 

Illustration from the UK of a “spanking machine,” early 1800s. The clown is a nice touch, yes?
 

“The cane and the whip in the 19th century,” 1899
 
That said, the “spanking machines” you are about to see in this post, probably never became reality. Is it possible some of them were real? Sure, it’s possible. Whatever the case may be, it appears that as early as the 1800s, a great many people from Australia to Russia and of course the UK and U.S. were dreaming up new ways to spank the crap out of people’s asses. Sometimes for pleasure and sometimes as punishment. While the words pleasure and punishment can be interchangeable in some circles (I don’t judge and neither should you), I can assure you that the vast majority of people in the following images don’t look especially thrilled about what’s happening. That said, I’d consider some of what follows NSFW. Which is usually what you’re going to get if the title of a post includes the words “spanking machines.” Duh.
 

The “Rub A Dub Dub” spanking machine. An illustration by fetish artist, John Willie (aka John Alexander Scott Coutts), the founder of ‘Bizarre’ magazine . 1940s
 

“Patient Whipping Machine” from ‘Cole’s Funny Picture Book’ by E.W. Cole. Australia, 1879
 

An illustration of a spanking machine performing corporal punishment at a UK boys school, 1920
 

Corporal punishment by way of a giant spanking wheel, Russia, early 19th century. This one might’ve been the real deal as Russia’s judicial system enforced the routine “whipping” of peasants until the start of the 20th century
 

Illustration of a fetish spanking machine in action, likely from a French or Italian fetish publication, early 1900s
 

“The Mother’s Kitchen Help and Ready Reckoner” and the “Chastiser.” France, 1951
 

“Steam engine for the correction of Petties” (or children), France, early 1900s