Devices & Contraptions Extraordinaire

Art Donovan is at it again -- no, not a new steampunk light, but another Steampunk Exhibit. This one is at Oxford, at the Museum of the History of Science, and is happening October 13th through February 21, 2010.

From the press release:
This exhibition marks the very first time that the new genre of Steampunk art is to be featured in a major museum. Located in the original Oxford Ashmolean building (the oldest museum building in the Western World), the MHS houses the most comprehensive collection of important, historic scientific objects in the academic world.

For this special museum exhibition, Mr. Donovan brings together the twelve most world-renown artists of the Steampunk genre-representing The United States, The United Kingdom, Japan, the Netherlands and Australia. These artists will be displaying never-before–seen sculptural art and inventions inspired by the evocative creations of the historic Victorian scientists and authors. Many works in this show were created exclusively for this special exhibition and it is arguably the most ambitious collection of Steampunk Art assembled in one venue.

The Museum Director, Dr. Jim Bennett states: “The Museum of the History of Science in Oxford is delighted to be hosting the Steampunk exhibition. We have many of the kinds of object that inspire the Steampunk artists and excite the Steampunk enthusiasts of today, so it is exciting to see characteristics and qualities of the original designs reformed into objects for living in the 21st century.”





What is is going to include? Many, many of the makers and creators of our quirky little world, from all around the world... it's a truly impressive list.

Stephane Halleux- Belgium

Tom Banwell- U.S.

Molly "Porkshanks" Friedrich- U.S.

Datamancer- U.S.

Doctor Grymm- U.S.

Daniel Proulx- Canada

Eric Freitas- U.S.

Haruo Suekichi- Japan

Herr Doktor- U.K.

Thomas D. Willeford- U.S.

Amanda Scrivener- U.K.

James Richardson Brown- U.K.

Jesse Newhouse- U.S.

Jos De Vink- Netherlands

Kris Kuksi- U.S.

Mad Uncle Cliff- Australia

Vianney Halter- Switzerland

Art Donovan- U.S.

So -- if you are in the vicinity, definitely go see it. If you aren't in the vicinity -- well, I'd try to get yourself there--you've got four months to make your travel arrangements.

Win it! Art was kind enough to send me the last two t-shirts from the first Steampunk Exhibit (sizes M & L). Tell me your favorite steampunk artist (part of the exhibit or not) and which one you'd prefer, and I'll randomly pick a winner for each size on Saturday morning.

New! Steampunk Home Image Stream

I've been playing with a new visual bookmarking tool called vi.sualize.us, and I think it's going to be a great complement to the more formal content here at The Steampunk Home.

When I run across a picture I think might appeal to Steampunk Home readers, I can simply add it to my vi.sualize.us stream with a tag of "steampunkhome." You can view the pictures by following this link, viewing the badge on the left at The Steampunk Home, or subscribing using this rss feed.

I won't promise everything will be straight up steampunk (whatever that is), but whatever I find worthwhile -- inspiring pictures with ideas you might, or might not, like to adopt. Some of those pictures may get reworked into full posts, but many won't.

Let me know what you think!

More Penny Tiles

You liked the floor of the Standard enough that I have to do a follow up post...

Amanda pointed out this Apartment Therapy post with instruction on how to do it yourself. This particular floor used about $35 worth of pennies -- cheap from a materials point of view, if not for labor. Scroll down to a long comment by "teeze" for the how-to.

And Cheetah Velour sent this from the New York Times of a bar covered completely in pennies.

Surprises at CB2

I'm always surprised at the vintage industrial style pieces CB2 -- purveyor of extremely modern style -- offers. Their most recent catalog had a couple that piqued my fancy:

Gear Tealights, $6.95 each

Firefly Pendant Lamp, $199 (But only with Edison bulbs!)


Miner Side Table-Stool, $149
A bit too modern for my taste, but could be used to add some edge to a traditional room with a lot of wood and leather.


A bamboo model of the Chrysler Building in New York, $29.95
I love the idea of architectural models, but the bamboo seems to make this a bit too "light"--both in color and visual weight--for most of my rooms. I'm tempted to get this and spray paint it black.

Killer Robot Designs

Killer Robot Designs makes custom furniture and lighting from reclaimed materials.

The Cluster Bomb Hanging Light, assembled from 16 old lamp fixtures.

Coffee Table from Vintage Samsonite Luggage.

Faux Bookshelves

Love the "walls of books" look, but don't have enough books (or enough room) to pull it off? Here's a clever idea -- paper one or more of your library walls with bookshelf wallpaper.

The owner and designer (Lynda Gardner) says: these photos are from the library which was once a horrible tiny bedroom which barely fit a single bed……it now has a wall filled with real books alongside a wall of Deborah Bowness wallpaper,…this room also has a couple of leather 1930s chairs, a star light handed down as a family heirloom and a cow skin hide….a cosy place to sit opposite an open fire on the opposite wall.

This is from Design*Sponge, and I strongly recommend the entire post featuring the house of Lynda Gardner -- it is incredible in every way.

(quick tip: Do a google search for "bookcase wallpaper" "book wallpaper" and "bookshelf wallpaper" for lots of different styles and price points.)

Etsy Finds: Airship Lamps

RiverOtterWidet is an etsy seller with some inspired lamps. They come with backstories on their use on the Royal Fleet's Airships (or submersibles...)

Glowing Liquid Airship Relic

Blue Airship Tracking Light

The squidbot lamp.