NEW YORK, NY.- The June 16 Voices of the 20th Century sale at Bonhams will present the prototype for the first home pregnancy test, invented in 1968 by graphic designer and illustrator, Margaret Crane. It is estimated at $6,000 – 9,000.

The auction is a special, themed sale that encompasses the political, cultural, and scientific shifts that took place during the tumultuous years between 1900 and 2000.

In 1967, Margaret Crane was hired by Organon Pharmaceuticals to work as a freelance graphic designer on a line of cosmetics. On a visit to the Organon laboratory, she saw rows of test tubes that turned out to be pregnancy tests. After carefully examining the tests, and learning that a woman could wait up to two weeks to get her results, Crane resolved to develop a device that would allow a woman to take the test herself, in the privacy of her own home, shortening the waiting time from two weeks to as little as two hours.

She explained, “I approached the company [Organon] with the prototype but was told they would never do a consumer test because they would lose their ‘doctor’ business, which was considerable. But I was absolutely certain this product would be very useful. A woman should have the right to be the first to know if she was pregnant, and not have to wait weeks for an answer.”

The product was named The AKZO Test, after AZKO, Organon’s parent company, and it soon became a worldwide success.

Cassandra Hatton, Director of the History of Science & Technology at Bonhams comments on the impact of Margaret’s Crane invention, “Ms. Crane’s invention was one of the most revolutionary of the twentieth century, changing the lives of countless people. A key innovation, it played a tremendous role in the history of women’s liberation. It is very exciting to have the opportunity to handle something that has quite literally changed the course of history.”

The auction will be held at 1pm.