London, Dec 26 (IANS): A pianist for silent movies can safely be called the “father of selfie sticks” - a new-age phenomenon that has taken smartphone users by storm today.

Taken in the Rugby town in Warwickshire, England in 1926, the grainy black and white picture of the couple Arnold and Helen Hogg is seen with an instrument that looks uncannily like a selfie stick, Guardian reported.

The device allowed the couple to click themselves on the Warwickshire street just a year after they were married.

The photo was discovered by Hoggs’ grandson Alan Cleaver in a family album.

According to Cleaver, he cannot remember how his grandfather put together the device.

“I only wish if he had patented his stick, we could have made a fortune. As a family, we are absolutely delighted that the world is sharing in Arnold’s humour,” he was quoted as saying.

Time magazine has heralded the “selfie stick” as one of the greatest inventions of 2014.