Categories / Toys and Games

Lego offers 50s-style building with the 50th anniversary Town Plan set

Lego_50s


Lego
is 50 years old today – and the company certainly isn’t going to let it pass without some new product – which includes the 50th anniversary Town Plan set.

It’s a special edition update of a classic playset, themed around 1950s America. So expect a 1950s-style gas/petrol station with pumps, car wash and garage, a town hall with a newly-married couple, a cinema with ticket booth, seats and posters, two vintage cars, eight minifigures and of course, lots of bricks.

In fact, as a bonus, there’s three gold bricks to celebrate the anniversary, along with a letter from company owner Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen, who actually appeared on the original Town Plan box as a child.

Yours for £89.99.

Find out more at the Lego website

Categories / Homeware

Richard Sapper Espresso Coffee Maker

Sapper
Dating back to 1979, but with inspiration going back to the modernist era, it’s the Richard Sapper Espresso Coffee Maker.

Made by Alessi, this classic design is represented in the Museum of Modern Art collection, as well as being available for sale through the museum’s shop. It’s a stainless steel stovetop espresso maker, good for making six cups of espresso as well as for adding a touch of class to any kitchen.

It retails online for $165, which is around £85.

Find out more at the MoMA website

Categories / Design and Interiors

Conran Spirograph log basket

Spirograph_log

Remember the Spirograph? The Conran Shop certainly does, introducing this Spirograph log basket to its latest range.

Yes, this is based on the poplar 60s toy, which allowed you to create op art-style images with various tools and coloured pens. This ‘real’ Spirograph is handcrafted in iron wire, designed to store logs for your open fire.

It’s exclusive to the Conran Shop and so far only shows on the US site at $95 (around £48). Might be worth checking with the London store for UK availability.

Find out more at the Conran Shop website

Categories / Cars and Bikes

Move over Fiat 500 – the Trabant is the next car for a modern makeover

Trabant

Hot on the heels of the Fiat 500 comes another cult car from the archives – the Trabant – which is set to be re-launched in 2009.

The Trabant was the car of the common man in East Germany from the 50s through to unification, a light and durable car with a two-stroke engine and plenty of room for a family of four. Amazingly, it was also eco-friendly before its time, using ‘duroplast’ for much of the car’s structure – a recycled material, made from cotton waste from Russia and phenol resins from the East German dye industry.

Read more

Categories / Art and Photography

Douglas Wilson All You Need Is Love print

Allyouneed
Looking for something a little different for Valentine’s Day? You could share your thoughts with this All You Need Is Love print by Missouri-based designer Douglas Wilson.

It’s available from the Keep Calm Gallery in a limited run of just 55, each signed and numbered by the artist. The print measures 13 x 17.5 inches, all hand letterpressed by Wilson, printed using metallic silver ink on ‘Wild Cherry’ French 100lb. cover-weight paper.

You can pick one up online for £20.

Find out more at the Keep Calm Gallery

Categories / Architecture, Bags, Design and Interiors

People Will Always Need Plates offers exclusive De La Warr Pavilion merchandise

Dela

Retro To Go favourite People Will Always Need Plates has a range of merchandise available featuring the iconic De La Warr Pavilion – only available from the Pavilion itself.

If you didn’t know, the De La Warr Pavilion at Bexhill On Sea was commissioned by the Earl De La Warr in 1935 and designed by architects Erich Mendelsohn and Serge Chermayeff – the UK‘s first public building built in the Modernist style. It’s recently undergone renovation, returning the building to its former glory. And the merchandise on offer celebrates this event.

The tea towel (retailing for £7.95) is pictured above, but there’s also a limited edition plate (£25), mugs in a choice of colours (£9.99 each), a canvas tote bag (£14.50) and at the bottom of the price scale, badges at £1 each. You can buy them from the Pavilion or you can contact the Pavilion’s shop for mail order.

Find out more at the De La Warr Pavilion website