Just Announced: 2008 Eames Commemorative Postage Stamps

From the US Postal Service Press Release:
In recognition of their groundbreaking contributions to architecture, furniture design, manufacturing and photographic arts, designers Charles and Ray Eames will be honored next summer with a pane of 16 stamps designed by Derry Noyes of Washington, DC. If you’ve ever sat in a stackable molded chair, you’ve experienced their creativity. Perhaps best known for their furniture, the Eameses were husband and wife as well as design partners. Their extraordinary body of creative work — which reflected the nation’s youthful and inventive outlook after World War II — also included architecture, films and exhibits. Without abandoning tradition, Charles and Ray Eames used new materials and technology to create high-quality products that addressed everyday problems and made modern design available to the American public.

If you want to know when they'll be issued, you can sign-up for the Eames Office newsletter here.

Look Ma... No Hands. Or Numbers: The Abacus Watch Collection

You may have seen some of these watches on design sites, blogs or in designer watch stores, ever wonder how they work? I did. So, I did a little research and found more designs than I knew existed. Those available outside of the US seem to vary from those available here. For example, the Abacus 1 series on the Laco site has either the Abacus logo on the face or dashes or dots. Whereas the Abacus 1 series on the Questo site is far more minimal, and has little round divets or is completely plain.

Regardless of the style, all are available for purchase with prices ranging up to $245.00 USD.


Below is information garnered from the manufacturers site, the Erich Lacher Watch Company (you can read some history about them here) as well as from one of their biggest distributors, Questo Design.

The translation is clearly wonky, so forgive the random initial caps and screwed up prepositions.

The Designer:

Above: The designer Roy Schäfer developed the ABACUS.

The conscientious reduction of the object to its central meaning. His love to old chronometers created the desire of a new interpretation of time by means of a watch. The ABACUS watch was developed on the basis of this idea of the designer Roy Schäfer (born 1967). He strictly followed the design principle "Reduce to the max." His impulse: “This process of making thoughts turn to products, gives me much pleasure and is the motor of the development of new items.”


Above left :The ABACUS logo on the stainless steel back of the watch. Above right: Unmistakable characteristic of the ABACUS 1: The ball-shaped crown.


How Does It Work??
The time is indicated by a very small metal ball placed on the face of the watch, which moves freely, depending on the wearer's movements. Nevertheless, whenever the watch is kept in a horizontal position, the ball moves "by magic" to the position that indicates the exact hour.

This is possible due to the fact that the device incorporates a high-grade quartz movement system, which, with the help of some magnets, moves the ball across the face of the watch. The face is quite resistant, too, since it's manufactured either from mineral or sapphire glass. Moreover, the device sports a stainless steel case, a high-quality leather strap and is also water resistant to a depth of 30 meters.



The classic product: the ABACUS 1 for women and men.
Since this innovative watch appeared in the market in 1999, it can take pride in a permanently growing group of devotees. Meanwhile, there also is an ABACUS version for women, so that also women can enjoy the game of time. The ingenious packaging of the ABACUS enhances the individual character of this designer watch.

The ABACUS 1 impresses by its clear design in form and function. It has its own and special way of playing with the definition of time. With its high quality quartz movement and its typical optical features, it will become the distinctive companion on your time journey. Reliable, precise, and with an unmistakable individual standard.

The Abacus 1 Series as seen on the Laco site:





and the more minimal designs as seen on The Questo Design Site:


----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ABACUS 2. New design of the classical ABACUS idea.

A sophisticated design from dial to strap: The ABACUS 2 consequently continues what was begun in 1999 with the original ABACUS. A completely unique design for a watch which still is to find its match.

A Swiss quartz movement guarantees precision. The high-quality processing Made in Germany does not make any wish go unfulfilled in the game of time. The time dot is a symbol of the fixed status of the ball, whereas the free rolling of the ball on the dial describes the time space.

The Abacus 2 series :


The watch with the Abacus logo on the face is only available here.




Abacus 2, the details:
With this watch, nothing was left to chance: The ABACUS 2 convinces by its elaborate design. And, as another thing to be mentioned, by meticulous handicraft. The Swiss quality quartz movement and the ball on the dial are protected by a stainless steel case and a sapphire crystal. It is almost a matter of fact that the ABACUS is water resistant down to 20 meters.



•The strap buckle of the ABACUS 2 expresses the new ABACUS design. The belonging strap is made of soft, fine-grained calf leather

•The game with time: If the watch is held in horizontal position, a magnet makes the freely movable ball indicate the time.

•Form and quality also at the reverse side: The crown is countersunk and therefore invisible from above; the stainless steel back with the ABACUS logo is screwed on by hand.

•Elaborate even in the last corner: The ABACUS 2 is equipped with a patented strap fixation. The high-quality leather strap is fixed directly in the case.

And the Abacus TbtT series:


The TbtT Abacus series is made of stainless steel and comes with a silver, black or gold face.

The packaging below:


Where to buy?
Buy them here.
Or here.
Or the largest selection here.

Setting That Hirshorn Exhibit Rumor Straight: The Beautiful Paper Art of Peter Callesen

In the past few weeks I've received an odd bogus e-mail about an exhibit at the Hirshorn and what multiple artists have done with one sheet of paper. And not just once. Today was the fourth time! So, clearly this is making the "e-mail rounds". But it's not true. Not a word of it.

I really feel the need to set this straight. There was never an exhibit of this type at the Hirshorn. And all that beautiful work is the art of one talented man, Denmark born Peter Callesen.

So, if you want to start spreading the word about his art, do so from here. And if you get that e-mail? Set the recipient straight.

A4 papercut Project By Peter Callesen.

About my paper works (in Peter's words):
"My paper works have lately been based around an exploration of the relationship between two and three dimensionality. I find this materialization of a flat piece of paper into a 3D form almost as a magic process - or maybe one could call it obvious magic, because the process is obvious and the figures still stick to their origin, without the possibility of escaping. In that sense there is also an aspect of something tragic in most of the cuts. Some of the small paper cuts relate to a universe of fairy tales and romanticism, as for instance "Impenetrable Castle" inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale "The Steadfast Tin Soldier", in which a tin soldier falls in love with a paper ballerina, living in a paper castle. Other paper cuts are small dramas in which small figures are lost within and threatened by the huge powerful nature. Others again are turning the inside out, or letting the front and the back of the paper meet - dealing with impossibility, illusions, and reflections.

I find the A4 sheet of paper interesting to work with, because it probably still is the most common and consumed media and format for carrying information today, and in that sense it is something very loaded. This means that we rarely notice the actual materiality of the A4 paper. By removing all the information and starting from scratch using the blank white 80gsm A4 paper as a base for my creations, I feel that I have found a material which, on one hand, we all are able to relate to, and which on the other hand is non-loaded and neutral and therefore easier to fill with different meanings. The thin white paper also gives the paper sculptures a fragility which underlines the tragic and romantic theme of the works."

Resurrection, 2008, Acid free A4 115 gsm paper and glue:

White Hand Acid free A4 115 gsm paper and glue:

Little Erected Ruin, 2006, Acid free A4 115 gsm paper and glue:


Half Way Through, 2006, Acid free A4 115 gsm paper and glue:

On The Other Side, 2006 Acid free A4 115 gsm paper and glue:


Walking Snail, 2006 Acid free A4 115 gsm paper and glue:

The Short Distance Between Time and Shadow, 2006 Acid free A4 115 gsm paper and glue:


Cradle, 2006 Acid free A4 115 gsm paper and glue:


Do Not Enter, 2006 Acid free A4 115 gsm paper and glue:

Tower of Babel, 2005 Acid free A4 80 gsm paper and glue:

Down the River, 2005 Acid free A4 80 gsm paper and glue:


The Dying Swan, 2005, Acid free A4 80 gsm paper and glue:

Wedding Dress Without Bride, 2005, Acid free A4 80 gsm paper and glue:

All in All, 2006 Acid free A4 115 gsm paper and glue:


Angel, 2006 Acid free A4 115 gsm paper and glue:


Closet, 2006 Acid free A4 80 gsm paper and glue:


Big wave moving towards a small castle made of sand, 2005 Acid free A4 80 gsm paper and glue:

Distant Wish, 2006 Acid-free A4 115 gsm paper and glue:


Eismeer, 2006 Acid free A4 80 gsm paper and glue:


Hunting, 2005 Acid-free A4 80 gsm paper and glue:

In the Beginning (Snake inside an egg), 2005 Acid free A4 80 gsm paper and glue:

In the Shadow of an Orchid, 2005 Acid free A4 80 gsm paper and glue:


Impenetrable Castle, 2005, Acid free A4 80 gsm paper and glue:

Looking Back, 2006 Acid free A4 115 gsm paper and glue:

Man Made of Woman, 2005 Acid-free A4 80 gsm paper and glue:


Pandora's Box, 2005 Acid free A4 80 gsm paper and glue:


Snowballs, 2005 Acid free A4 80 gsm paper and glue:


Traces in Snow, 2005 Acid-free A4 80 gsm paper and glue:

Bridge Over Troubled Water, 2005 Acid-free A4 80 gsm paper and glue:

Butterflies Trying To Escape Their Shadow, 2005 Acid-free A4 80 gsm paper and glue:


artist info:
Peter Callesen

Denmark

Peter Callesen is currently working on his own, apart from in Spain where he is represented by Galería Valle Ortí.

This A4 (letter sized paper) project was but one. He has done many other larger and more intricate works that are amazing. This man deserves much credit- and sadly, that internet rumor is depriving him of it.

Go to his site to see this complete project and many more!