Cat Furniture Blue

Cat Furniture Blue

Holiday Gifts 2010: Toys for Us

Although adult toy purchases, especially playful objects, normally apply to gratifying a male's childhood fantasy, looking at the category of "toys" broadly, the following twelve gift ideas were made with both men and women in mind. Ranging from the decorative arts, antiques, sculptural objects, collector's items, sophisticated games, and whimsical jewelry listed at varying prices, it's best to approach the hunt with an attitude of "let no expense be spared."

Kenmore and Dectecto #23 Original Robot Sculptures

by Gordon Bennett Robot Works

26.5" H (67.3cm)

$2,700

Newly assembled from vintage materials (metal, wood, and found objects) by Gordon Bennett Robot Works in Brooklyn, these one-of-a-kind robots have been featured in international magazines published in Italy, Russia, Holland, and the US. A favorite among collectors, each piece is individually named and numbered with a metal tag. VandM.com dealer City Foundry through http://vandm.com/City_Foundry, (718) 923-1786 or (718) 812-3325.

American Carousel Horse Hand Painted Wood Carving, ca. 1890
49"H x 40"W x 11"D (124.5cm H x 101.6cm W x 27.9cm D)
$8,500

For the man who has everything, loves everything western, owns a ranch or an estate, the outsider stander Carousel Folk Art carved wood horse found in one of the Coney Island Parks is a rare find. Well preserved with its original eyes and paint, the musculature of the body is finely detailed. VandM.com dealer E & L Alexandria through http://vandm.com/elalexandria, (747) 742-2709.

Toys from Japan: Meiji Wood Block Prints, ca. Meiji Style (JP 1868-1912)
8.0" H x 5.8" W (20.3cm H x 14.6cm W)

$475

What could be more charmingly decorative then adorning a child's room with a set of Japanese wood block prints illustrating Omocha toys from the rich folklore Meiji period. There are seven different sets, each of which has approximately five or six prints. Available from The Dongan Collection at VandM.com dealer Center44. Check out the site for information of the Meiji era, the artist, collector, and publisher Shimizu Seifu and painter Nishizawa Tekiho. http://vandm.com/Dongan_Antiques_LTD, (212) 450-7988.

BMW Isetta Pedal Car

17.7" H x 37.4" W x 23.6" D (45.0cm H x 95.0cm W x 60.0cm D)

$3,000

Not just for kids. This restored red BMW Isetta can be pedaled by a small child, or, for avid fans of classic cars placed not too subtly in home or office. A real conversation opener. BMW Isetta made its debut in 1955 in Italy. VandM.com dealer La Tropical De Luxe through http://vandm.com/LaTropical_deLuxe, 5491149154247.

Cartier 18K Gold Seahorse Cufflinks with Diamond Eyes, Attributed to 1960s
1.25" H x 5" W x .75" D
$3,200

For a bit of elegant whimsy, not too ominous looking Seahorse cufflinks are for the sophisticated man or woman who are into formal wear and like symbols. Signed "Cartier Italy," made in 18K gold (marked "750"). VandM.com dealer Gabriel Gibson through http://www.vandm.com/gabrielgibson, (301) 339-4919.

Bauhaus Design Set Chess Set – Museum Edition
Reproduced by The Naef Bauhaus Designs
2" H X 10" W X 10" D (5.1cm H X 25.4cm W X 25.4cm D)
$519

The handmade B&W chessboard is nearly an exact edition at 1:1 of the original manufactured by The Naef Bauhaus Designs who own exclusive rights to produce Bauhaus toys. VandM.com dealer Quintessentia through http://vandm.com/Quintessentia_GmbH, 41 76 420 6848.

Lucky Cat by Tadaaki Narita, 2003
40.9" H x 51.2" W x 33.1" D (103.9cm H x 130.0cm W x 84.1cm D)
$9,800

A pinball machine with a divergent purpose: Japanese lore says that when a lucky cat waves at you, good fortune smiles your way; and when you propel the ball it interacts with the cats (neatly lined up) each having a musical chime to collectively create an orchestrated sound. VandM.com dealer droog through http://vandm.com/droog, (212) 941-8350.

Antiques Wooden Painted Clown Whirligig, ca. Early 1900s
58.0" H x 14.0" W x 10.0" D (147.0cm H x 35.6cm W x 25.4cm D)
$4,000

Similar to a weathervane, this hand-carved kinetic Folk Art garden sculpture is wind powered so that the sound of its vibrations discourage pests and other unwanted visitors. The overly long, moveable arms, its best feature, are 21" long. VandM.com dealer Vintage Views through http://vandm.com/vintageviews, (201) 232-4280.

19th century New England Wooden Fish Safe

with Miniature Handmade Painted Boats on Deck
46" H x 24" W x 16" D (117.0cm H x 61.0cm W x 40.6cm D)
$1,600

A rare handmade wooden fish safe with miniature boats on deck was used to haul bait behind a fishing boat depicting a bit of historical information on New England's groundfishing industry.

VandM.com dealer East Market Street Antiques through http://vandm.com/EastMarket, (845) 758-9000 or (845) 679-9643.

Art Deco Rudolf Steiner Genre Child's Pull Toy, ca. 1920s

10"H (25.4cm)

$180

Swiss guru Rudolph Steiner - philosopher, architect, and designer – created this duck pull toy incorporating his philosophy of using soft angles, circles and round shapes. Still in functioning order, it bobbles its head up and down and moves its bill when rolling. Definitely made for a child's amusement, but also a sculptural, decorative object from one of the leading thinkers of the day. VandM.com dealer Quintessentia through http://vandm.com/Quintessentia_GmbH, 41 76 420 6848.

Modular Wooden Puzzle

15.5" H x 14" W x 15.5" D (39.4cm H x 35.6cm W x 39.4cm D)

$800

Mental dexterity and a gift for understanding spatial relationships will make this modular hand-carved Chinese wood knot puzzle a breeze to dissemble and then reassemble. Interlocking blocks create a stable unit. VandM.com dealer Weisshouse through http://vandm.com/weisshouse, (412) 441-8888.

19th Century Dome Sculpture With 1920s Doll's Eyes
20.5" H (52.1cm H)
$2,800

Where did you get those eyes? Eerily staring straight on are clear blue dolls' eyes mounted on a wire and covered with a glass dome. Coolly surreal. VandM.com dealer Center44 through http://vandm.com/center44.com, (212) 450-7988.

About the Author

Talis joined VandM.com ( http://vandm.com ) in March of 2009 and is responsible for overseeing the company's marketing, advertising and business development strategies. Before joining VandM.com, Talis led the account management department at The Creative Directors, Inc., a boutique advertising agency held by VandM's parent company, EUE/Screen Gems ( http://www.euescreengems.com/ ). As Vice President, he managed new business as well as the company's retail, financial and pharmaceutical accounts, including Office Depot, Silvercrest Asset Management, Wyeth and Schering-Plough. Prior to The Creative Directors, Talis was at the advertising agencies McCann Erickson New York and Campbell Mithun in Minneapolis, working on accounts such as Weight Watchers, Breyers, Klondike and several other Unilever brands. Talis started his career as a television producer, working on network news shows such as The Today Show, Dateline, CNN, and Good Morning America; reality shows such as Joe Millionaire and Big Brother; sporting events such as the NBA Playoffs and NHL All-Star Game; and documentaries such as Intervention on A&E. Talis received a BS in advertising from the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities. Inside info: Talis climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro, ran the NYC Marathon, and can eat fire.

Kitten and Cat playing on Cat Furniture

Cat Furniture Blue

Electronic Cats Eyes for the Roads – Invented by Percy Shaw in 1933

Britain's history is made up of many famous Inventor's all through our history. This has made me decide to write about one of the most famous British Inventors – Percy Shaw the Inventor of the road safety device called "Cat's Eye's". This invention has saved many lives, worldwide and as a driver, late at night, It is always comforting to see the Cats Eyes guiding the way with its glowing light.

The cat's eye is a retro-reflective safety device used in road markings and was the first of a range of raised pavement markers. It originated here in the UK in 1933 and is today used all over the world. It consists (in its original form) of two pairs of reflective glass spheres set into a white rubber dome, mounted in a cast iron housing. This is the kind that marks the centre of the road, with one pair of cat's eye showing in each direction. A single-ended form has become widely used in other colours at road margins and as lane dividers. Cat's eyes are particularly valuable in fog and are largely resistant to damage from snow ploughs.

A key feature of the cat's eye is the flexible rubber dome which is occasionally deformed by the passage of traffic. A fixed rubber wiper cleans the surface of the reflectors as they sink below the surface of the road (the base tends to hold water after a shower of rain, making this process even more efficient). The rubber dome is protected from impact damage by metal 'kerbs' – which also give tactile and audible feedback for wandering drivers.

The inventor of cat's eyes was Percy Shaw of Boothtown, Halifax,West Yorkshire. When the tram-lines were removed in the nearby suburb of Ambler Thorn when he realised that he'd been using the polished strips of steel to navigate. The name "cat's eye" comes from Shaw's inspiration for the device: the eye shine reflecting from the eyes of a cat. In 1934, he patented his invention (patent No.436.290 and 457.536), and on 15 March 1935, founded Reflecting Roadstuds Limited in Halifax to manufacture the items. The name Catseye was their trademark. The reflective lens had been invented six years earlier for use in advertising signs by Richard Hollins Murray, an accountant from Herefordshire and as Shaw acknowledged, they had contributed to his idea.

• The following Types of Cats Eyes are used on UK roads:

• White cat's eyes are used for the centre of a road on many roads which lack street lighting but are subject to high speeds or high volumes of traffic. They are also used for lane markings, soft traffic islands and on "double-white lines" where no overtaking is permitted.

• Red cat's eyes are placed along the hard shoulder of a motorway or sometimes dual carriageways

• Amber cat's eyes are placed along the edge of the central reservation (median).

• Green cat's eyes denote joining or leaving slip roads at junctions

• Blue cat's eyes are used for police slip roads.

These units are not very visible in daylight and are generally used in conjunction with traditionally painted lines. Temporary cat's eyes with just a reflective strip are often used during motorway repair work. These are typically day glow green/yellow so they are easily visible in daylight as well as in darkness, they can then be used on their own for lane division.

Also seen during motorway repair work are plastic traffic pillars that are inserted into the socket of a retractable cat's eye rather than being free-standing. These are often used in conjunction with two rows of the temporary cat's eyes to divide traffic moving in opposite directions during motorway road works.

Solar powered cat's eyes known as solar road studs and showing a red or amber LED to traffic, have been introduced on roads regarded as particularly dangerous at locations throughout the world. However, shortly after one such installation in Essex in the Autumn of 2006 the BBC reported that the devices, which flash almost imperceptibly at 100 times a second, could possibly set off epileptic fits and the Highways Agency had suspended the programme.

Proposed enhancements, for an "intelligent cat's eye" of the future, will see the standard white light change to amber for four seconds after the passing of a vehicle, or red if the following vehicle is too close or traffic ahead is stationary.

Please visit my Funny Animal Art Prints Collection @ http://www.fabprints.com

My other website is called Directory of British Icons: http://fabprints.webs.com

The Chinese call Britain 'The Island of Hero's' which I think sums up what we British are all about. We British are inquisitive and competitive and are always looking over the horizon to the next adventure and discovery.

Copyright © 2010 Paul Hussey. All Rights Reserved.

About the Author

My family tree has been traced back to the early Kings of England from the 7th Century AD. I am also a direct descendent of Sir Christopher Wren which has given me an interest in English History which is great fun to research.

I have recently decided to write articles on my favourite subjects: English Sports, English History, English Icons, English Discoveries and English Inventions. At present I have written over 100 articles which I call "An Englishman's Favourite Bits Of England" in various Volumes. Please visit my fun Blogs page http://Bloggs.Resourcez.Com where I have listed all my fun articles to date.

Copyright © 2010 Paul Hussey. All Rights Reserved.