Posted by HAC on May 6th,2011
Dr.Grordbort is pleased to announce the release of the Saboteur 66: a rather stealthy aether oscillator.
As described by its designer Dr. B Aldwin:
“Rarely is a piece of wave oscillatrica put so brazenly through its paces as in the hands of an assassin.A lone professional whose very livelihood and ultimately survival depends on the oomph and precision of his tools tends to be incredibly picky.This brief is not taken lightly. The finest materials are chosen, a focus group of assassins assembled (in separate rooms, of course) and debriefed on their requirements. The result is the Saboteur 66 – a finely balanced tool-of-the-trade for murderous bastards across the solar system. Aside from being comparatively compact, the Saboteur is also incredibly light, roughly equivalent to wielding a small partridge.
Made from Imitation Metal, Imitation Bakelite and Imitation Tremontium*
*While arguably inimitable individually, these compounds, when fused together under Earth’s atmospheric conditions, take on a density and surface texture that is vaguely approximate to something called “ABS plastic”.
Wowsers! – and as if that wasn’t enough – hang on to your hats. Weta will be giving Brass Googles readers the chance to win one of these wonderful pieces.. A Contest! Oh, Frabjous Day! Stay tuned for details.
Check out the Saboteur 66 over at the Weta Site. Dr. Grordbort’s Saboteur 66
Posted by HAC on May 4th,2011
Sure looks like an new aether oscillator on the way! Stay Tuned…
The S-Type Project at Dr.Grordborts
Posted by HAC on May 2nd,2011
The Steampunk Bible – “An Illustrated Guide to the World of Imaginary Airships, Corsets and Goggles, Mad Scientists, and Strange Literature”, published by Abrams Books, is now available on Amazon.
It is described by Abrams Books as:
“The Steampunk Bible is the first compendium about the movement, tracing its roots in the works of Jules Verne and H. G. Wells through its most recent expression in movies such as Sherlock Holmes. Its adherents celebrate the inventor as an artist and hero, re-envisioning and crafting retro technologies including antiquated airships and robots. A burgeoning DIY community has brought a distinctive Victorian-fantasy style to their crafts and art. Steampunk evokes a sense of adventure and discovery, and embraces extinct technologies as a way of talking about the future. This ultimate manual will appeal to aficionados and novices alike as author Jeff VanderMeer takes the reader on a wild ride through the clockwork corridors of Steampunk history.”
Posted by HAC on April 10th,2011
After a previous release and then mysterious disappearance (was it those nefarious Moon-Men who purloined the Pomson?), Dr.Grordbort’s is pleased to re-release the Mighty Pomson 6000 Sub Atomic Wave Gun!
Dr.Grodbort’s boffins have this to say:
“Blasting out rapid-succession pulses of cross-spectrum electromagnetic radiation, the Pomson has been shown to dissolve an Egyptian pyramid in four archeologically educational weeks or one of the smaller, slightly crappier Mayan ones in just under a fortnight. Imagine what it could do to that big ugly Mars face! On a more practical level, however, the Pomson has proven to be a highly flexible yet powerful firearm and purchasers are sure to wake up each morning with morning wood at the mere thought of owning one. That could also be a tumourous growth caused by unshielded radiation, but you can’t sue us for that because it’s in the contract. Sod off.”
So head over to Dr. Grordbort’s Aether Space and check it out – Lower price, Too!
Posted by HAC on March 8th,2011
In the next while, expect some Steampunk book reviews to be posted here, including..
- AngryRobots upcoming release of the 1987 book by K.W.Jeter that started steampunk “Infernal Devices and “Moorlock Night” as well as Lavie Tidhar’s ‘Camera Obscura” and “The Bookman”
- “Man Made Monsters” – A Field Guide to Golems, Patchwork Soldiers, Homunculi, and other Created Creatures, by Dr. Bob Curran.
- “The Dream Of Pertpetual Motion” by Dexter Palmer
as well as a few others.. Stay Tuned!
Posted by HAC on March 4th,2011
Just to prove that strange mechanical designs are not limited to modern Steampunk, we preset (albeit in model form) the Blackburn Agricultural Engine of 1863. Needless to say, that with its strange “boiler in a wheel” design, only one was ever built, and it was a disaster, to say the least. Still, a model by Cherry Hill turned up at the UK Model Engineering exhibit. Incidentally, Cherry’s model is live steam, does function, and has been steamed.
[Photos below courtesy of modelengineeringwebsite.com; click any image for the project website, with full-res photos]
Posted by proteus on February 25th,2011
Via Wondermark comes a great collection of photos of the Penny Farthing Championships in Evandale, Tasmania. Here’s just a taste:
Posted by HAC on February 22nd,2011
While we are reworking the works, there may be the odd test post or duplicate posting. Bear with us, while we get the behind the sceens gubbin set up properly.
Posted by HAC on February 18th,2011
Internationally known artist Bruce Whistlecraft (A.K.A Doktor A) has become synonymous with the creation of Victorian Futurist style Robot characters. Indeed, his popular ongoing Mechtorians series unravels the story of the retrobotic realm of Retropolis one artwork at a time. Brass moustachioed Scientists rub copper plated elbows with polished metal Bank Managers and Socialites in this fantastical realm where humans play no part. Every aspect of our own world is reflected and filtered through the robot’s ill informed perception, to the point where the absurdities of daily life are shown in sharp contrast. Social heirachy played out as theatre and consumer trends reflected as crippling exercises in vanity. When machines try and duplicate our world the nonsense of the everyday becomes magnified.
Having exhibited for the last six years in gallery shows set as far afield as Los Angeles and Hong Kong, Tarnished Daydreams marks Doktor A’s debut UK show. His forth solo show to date, this will be the first in his home country and will feature illustrative works as well as his trademark dimensional pieces. His existing works have found homes in high profile private art collections around the world and new pieces are keenly anticipated. His characters have also reached a wider audience through the medium of toys. Short run collectible figures take on the role of three dimensional art prints, with rarer editions being highly sought after.
Doktor A is a member of the artist collective Circus Posterus, a group of cutting edge artists who have grown out of the Pop Surrealism movement centred in the USA.
Urban Pop Culture gallery and store Ik’sentrik in the heart of Bath will host this intimate exhibition of mechanical whimsy. Ik’sentrik’s owner Ryan Coyle has been a champion of the Art Toy movement in the UK for many years, previously mounting successful art shows in Bristol.
Where ?
Ik’sentrik, 3 George Street, Bath, BA1 2EH, UK
Tel : +44 (0)1225 316049
web : www.iksentrik.co.uk
When ?
April 1st – 30th 2010
Reception opening Friday 1st, 6pm to 10pm. (Doktor A will be in attendance.)
Posted by HAC on November 23rd,2010
Simon Jones emails..
“A short film I’ve been working on this year as editor has just been released. It’s set during the Crimean War with some steampunk twists such as a steam-powered gatling gun, so I thought it might be of interest to yourself and your readers.
You can watch it on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQT6Bnqsvg0
More info can be found at the website: http://armsracemovie.com/
