Ferdinand Tollin

The Riksbank purchased a prototype of the device, but claimed that it failed to work properly and, in 1838, demanded a refund, which forced him into bankruptcy.

[citation needed] It was eventually exhibited at some minor venues, then disappeared, only to be rediscovered in the 1930s and displayed at the Stockholm City Museum.

Some of his favorite targets were King Karl XIV Johan, Count Magnus Brahe, Bishop Christopher Isac Heurlin [sv] and Archbishop Carl Fredrik af Wingård, as well as the police and bureaucrats in general.

Under the pseudonym, "J. L. Nygren", he published a book with the sarcastic title, "Help for Loan Applicants", which accused several prominent people of usury.

He was found guilty and sentenced to pay a fine of 40 Riksdalers or spend fourteen days in jail on bread and water.

[citation needed] Possibly fearing for his life, he fled to Germany instead, where he presented himself as a "Royal Fencer" from Uppsala, and actually wrote a fencing textbook that was published by a company in Grimma.