panhard to rear-that old nugget

[Bob Culver]

Probably pre Boer War. I dunno the exact origin but early cars often had full elliptic springs and similar with consequent little location.
When straight axles with torsion bars or coils became fashionable a Panhrad rod  became necessary. The traction avante Citroen and Jowett Javelin have, and common in the 70s. A refined version with more uniform characteristics left and right turning is the Watts parallel motion linkage.