A nice piece of vintage design with a story – these vintage Penguin novel pencils.
Here’s the story – Penguin started in 1965, but the company didn’t have a logo. So publisher Allen Lane sent office junior Edward Young to London Zoo to sketch the penguins for a company logo. And appropriately, here’s a set of six pencils based on the original design that Edward Young produced.
A very cool item and available online for £7.
If you’re after some interesting period artwork, check out the London Transport Museum online store – it’s packed with vintage artwork relating to London’s transport system, including this 1971 Piccadilly to Heathrow poster.
It’s the work of Tom Eckersley, one of Britain’s leading poster designers from the 1930s through to the 1970s – with this one produced in 191 as work commenced to extend the Piccadilly line to Heathrow (which was completed in 1977).
A great piece of design, sized at 20 x 30 inches and selling for just £9.95.
Find out more at the London Transport Museum website
Looking for something geometric for your living room? Mojo Interiors might have just the thing with its Verner Panton rug collection.
A choice of designs avalable, both colourful and the more recognisable black and white, all hand-tufted by craftsmen from New Zealand wool and all starting from size 6ft 7inch square.
Check out the range at the website, with prices starting from around £800.
Find out more at the Mojo Interiors website
Sick of Slade? Bored of Band Aid? Don’t despair – we have a selection of five retro Christmas albums, packed full of great tunes to soundtrack the festive period. Any that we’ve missed? Let us now below.
1. James Brown: Funky Christmas (Polydor)
The hardest-working man in showbusiness is no longer with us, but his festive favourites are. This is a compilation of all the man’s Christmas work including tracks from his 1966 LP, Christmas Song and his ’72 recording, Hey America – a mix of self-penned tunes, covers of early 60s R&B Christmas tunes and some full-on festive funk – typified by Soulful Christmas – classic JB, but with a seasonal message (and available a couple of years back as a limited vinyl 45). Get the party started for a ridiculously cheap £3.98.
More about the CD at Amazon.co.uk
2. Various Artists: Seasonal Favourites volumes one and two (Double Crown)
Guaranteed to liven up any party are the Seasonal Favourites volumes one and two albums, available from Double Crown Records. It’s Christmas music, but with a twist – as you might expect from a surf/garage/rockabilly label. If you want to know how much of a twist, check out the two tracks below. And if you like what you hear (and want indie/garage versions of Merry Christmas (War Is Over) and Little Drummer Boy in your collection), you can order both online from Double Crown for a bargain £6.59 each.
Frigg A-Go-Go – Santa Claus Go To The Ghetto (MP3)
The Lunatics – Rocknuts (MP3)
Unchanged for over 50 years, the Tala Dry Cooks Measure is as iconic as things get in the world of baking. There has been no need to change the design as it is pretty good as it is and more importantly, it works on a practical level too.
This easy to use piece of equipment allows you to measure out various dry ingredients to the correct weight without the use of scales, simply by filling to the appropriate level. There are measurements for custard powder, flour, powered milk, icing sugar, ground rice, currants, semolina, raisins, sultanas, tapioca, haricots, lentils, barley, peas, sugar, rice, ground almonds, shredded suet, cornflour, cocoa, desiccated coconut, rolled oats and fresh bread crumbs – covering, I suspect, most of your cooking needs. Measurements are given in ounces and grams, with American and UK equivalents.
And the cost of this chef’s essential? Just £7.50 from the Conran Shop.
Yesterday, we kicked off our Essential Reading series with Modern Design In Wood by Richard Stewart, a must-have for anyone interested in wood-based design in the 1970s. And if you liked the look of that, you’ll love the companion Modern Design In Metal by Richard Stewart, which is even better.
Again published in 1979, Modern Design In Metal is pretty much a must-have for anyone interested in 70s design. Covering everything from sculptural pieces to interior design, it flags up all the big names as well as some minor players worth seeking out. The name items include sculpture from Barbara Hepworth, Georg Jensen jewellery, Garrard candelabras, Heals tableware, David Mellor cutlery, Pieff and Merrow Associates furniture (including a stunning Merrow desk), Flos and Artemide lighting and even some early electronics from Sinclair amongst the miscellaneous items.
A superb reference, not to mention a fascinating read. Again, this is long out of print, but Abebooks should throw a couple of copies up.
