File this one under “If I were a rich man.” Too subtle to be steampunk, too steampunk to be retro, and too retro to be modern, this simple little brass knob is absolutely beautiful. And what does it do? Well, it’s a dimmer for “nearly all incandescent lamp configurations (up to 300W max) and many halogen systems as well.” Smooth rheostat lighting for any lamp, very handy though probably not worth five bills in and of itself. Still, for the man who has everything but a dimmer, this is a lovely little piece of hardware. It was created by designer Mark Williams; you can check out his other stuff here.
Oh yes, if I were a rich man… this would be the first thing I’d buy after a Sega Saturn and Twitter.
Bah, you want to see a brass dimmer: http://www.kinghiramslodge.org/images/Lodge_Fields_Pic.JPG
Look by the door in the center of the picture. This thing must be 70 years old, over a foot wide and works the lights in the ceiling. You get some cool sparks off of it too. Absolute work of art.
Ha! That’s excellent. I want one in every room.
I believe that it’s on a list that the Smithsonian has of things they would like someday. You put your hand on the handle and wonder if you should wait for a call from the Governor before moving it. =)
Bonus: look at the regalia on the chair to the left. It was made by Paul Revere (himself).
Make it yourself, $500 is a rip off.