This is the encyclopedia of the 999 most influential industrially manufactured objects, valued for their timelessness, aesthetic appeal, or innovative technology. Published by Phaidon Press, renowned publishers of visual art books for 75 years, the three-volume collection includes classic design pieces selected by leading designers, architects, curators, and academics. Presented chronologically, the collection begins with a pair of Chinese bonsai scissors from the early 1600s that are still in production today, and ends with Barber and Osgerby's minimal Lunar bath accessories. Previously unpublished sketches, 4,000 color images, and historical and cultural critiques written by professional designers highlight the genius of the designs--from the safety pin to the iconic Citron 2CV economy car. The encyclopedia has 3,300 pages of objects created by renowned designers, such as Breuer and Castiglioni, and anonymously designed pieces like the clothespin and chopstick. Hardcover. Each volume: 9 5/8 H x 8 1/4 W. (7 lbs.).

This is the watch with a sleek, featureless ebon face that displays the time and date in digital format using LEDs only when its button is pressed, returning to a jet black screen when the button is released. The red LED numbers are 1/2 high and easily stand out against the black face for easy timekeeping in dark conditions. The 1 1/4 W x 1 3/4 H LCD screen is protected by a brushed stainless steel case and a mineral crystal face. The stainless steel caseback resists bumps and scratches, retaining its luster in all weathers. Water-resistant down to 165'. The rubber strap is secured to wrists up to 8 3/4 in diameter using springbars and a folded steel clasp. Includes CR2032 battery. (3 3/4 oz.).

This is the comprehensive yet accessible 1,320-page reference work compiled by over 20 experts at The New York Times that provides essential knowledge of over 30 fields of endeavor, spanning subjects from Beowulf to Keynesian economics to Zuse's binary computing machines. Renowned columnist William Safire provides the introduction and enigmatologist Will Shortz provides the Sudoku tips in addition to other columnists--all articles are written in easily digested, readable formats. A biographical dictionary of nearly 1,000 of the most important figures in every field is included in addition to a dictionary of medical terms and procedures. It includes a complete guide to every book in the Bible and explains the origins and meaning of the Koran while providing an annotated version of the U.S. Constitution that explains every article and amendment. 9 1/2 H x 8 W x 2 1/2 D. (3 lbs.).

This complete set of underwater activities allows you to train your pet fish to perform a series of agility maneuvers, including swimming through hoops, pushing a soccer ball, navigating a slalom course, and more. The set includes two bases and all training paraphernalia and uses techniques similar to those used to modify circus animal behavior--positive reinforcement and shaping using food rewards--by employing a feeding wand that holds a piece of food as you guide your pet Betta, Goldfish, Guppy, or Oscar through a series of hoops, a tunnel, chimney, or under a limbo bar. With the included soccer goal, basketball hoop, and football goalpost, you can train your pet to practice scoring goals, slam dunks, or field goals. Fetch training takes advantage of certain species' (such as Parrotfish or other Cichlids) tendencies to pick up and move gravel with their mouths. Includes tools for retrieving all parts. Base 11 L x 6 W x 1 H. (4 lbs.).

This book and three DVD-ROM collection captures every front page from The New York Times, recalling 157 years of world-changing events and news that The Gray Lady deemed fit to print. The book has more than 300 of the most significant Page Ones, faithfully reproduced right down to the bolded headlines in Cheltenham typeface and honorific style that are the hallmarks of The Times' staid presentation. It begins with the first issue, published on September 18, 1851, and readers can trace the history of the U.S. and the world chronologically until March 19, 2008, using the same headlines, running text, and photographs that The Times printed that day. Twenty landmark dates, including Martin Luther King, Jr.'s I Have a Dream speech, the iconic MEN WALK ON MOON headline, and the September 11th terrorist attacks are presented in foldout, full-size pages. The DVD-ROMs contain 54,267 front pages in PDF format, indexed by date and easily browsable with the click of a mouse. Hardcover; 456 pages.

This electronic chess game earned the Hammacher Schlemmer Institute's best rating for its quality of instruction and accuracy of level of play. The game was play-tested by an International Master with a 2,367 FIDE rating and found to be superior to other models because of the quality of its instructional mode, which uses an autoplay function that allows beginning to advanced players to watch the computer play itself--a key learning tool for assembling an array of opening moves. This game had the highest Elo rating (2,330) of all models tested, an opening book of 24,000 half-moves, and was the only one considered by a panel of 20 novice, moderate, and experienced players to be suitable for challenging play. Panelists commented that after the lesser models' limited opening books were exhausted, their intrinsic flaws were easily exposed and exploited, reducing them to amusing novelties. This unit's eight levels and 64 time controls were found to be best-suited for beginners and equally challenging for tournament-level players. Panelists also found this model to be the easiest to use and the one with the most features. The game's wooden chessboard uses walnut for its dark squares and maple for its white squares, and each are 1 1/2 sq., making them the closest to tournament standard size of the competing models. Magnetic sensors detect each of the hand-carved walnut and maple Staunton pieces, and each square has four LEDs that illuminate to indicate the computer's next move. It has a detachable chess clock and an easy-to-read display that shows chess notation for moves. Plugs into AC with the included adapter. Chessboard 11 3/4 sq. (2 lbs.).

Made by Kettler, makers of quality ride on toys in Germany since 1949, this is the heirloom quality pedal car modeled after a 1953 Corvette. Made with exacting detail that marked its larger predecessor as the most sought-after Corvette model in the world, this version has a chrome grill, fenders, and bumper with detailed wheel covers. Its tubular steel frame is covered by a durable ABS solid body painted in a high-gloss finish; ABS floor pan conceals drive chain and wheel wells. Its pedal crank is ball bearing-driven and uses bicycle pedals and a bicycle sprocket for smooth pedaling. The wheels use ball-bearing hubs on heavy spindles and axles that drive tubeless pneumatic tires. A hand-operated coaster lever switches between neutral and drive and a right-hand brake lever controls the brake for the rear wheels. The fully adjustable five-position ABS seat accommodates growing riders up to 125 lbs. Ages 4 to 10. 55 L x 28 W x 25 H. (75 lbs.).

This leather journal is embossed with the crests of the Medici family, renowned as the Godfathers of the Renaissance and credited with transforming Florence into Europe's cultural mecca during their 300-year reign. The heraldic devices were adopted by Medici patriarchs upon their accession to the throne, and the journal displays the crests in exacting detail, including Cosimo's three peacock feather crest that symbolizes his prudence, temperance, and fortitude. Handcrafted by Florentine artisans relying on centuries-old bookbinding techniques, the cover is embossed using a brass die-cast from the 16th century and engraved using heated branding irons. Unlike common, one-piece bindings, the Medici journal is bound using a labor-intensive process in which the front cover, back cover, and spine are bound individually by hand. The journal has acid-free, archival paper that will preserve your written thoughts for more than 100 years. 144 lined pages. 10 H x 7 W.

This five-book, 2,000-page collection has 80 classic fairy tales, including The Wizard of Oz, Cinderella, and The Secret Garden, annotated by leading scholars with contemporary references, character sources, and historical origins. With in-depth commentary from Michael Patrick Hearn, the world's foremost Oz expert, and Maria Tartar, a leading authority in folklore and children's literature, the original tales and themes are further developed with annotations in the margins that explain the actual meaning of the word Oz and other interesting facts. Hundreds of color illustrations by celebrated artists Gustave Dor, Maxfield Parrish, and others, ensure Little Red Riding Hood, Jack and his beanstalk, and the Little Mermaid come to life for young readers. The heirloom set includes The Annotated Brothers Grimm and The Annotated Hans Christian Andersen, featuring beloved fables like Hansel and Gretel and The Emperor's New Clothes with annotations that explore the social and cultural dimensions of the 19th century. Hardcover; 2,096 pages.

Woven using 25,000 flexible stainless-steel threads that are three times thinner than a piece of paper--.001--this is the only wallet with a hand as smooth as silk and the strength that surpasses leather. Impervious to stretching or staining, and without sharp corners or the inherent bulk of other wallets, the stainless steel is the same metal fabric found in the architecture, aerospace, and automotive industries, resulting in a thin profile that allows it to fit into a front pocket. Resistant to corrosive materials such as salts, acids, and seawater, the tightly woven steel also passively resists radio-frequency hacking-the latest identity theft technique that attempts to scan newer credit cards. The wallet has six credit card slots, two internal pockets, and one large pocket for bills. 4 1/4 L x 3 1/4 W x 1/4 D. (4 3/4 oz.).