Artifact from a distant land...

[spcglider]

As I wandered the Wastelands of Nuveau Culture, I somehow stumbled into a curious and savage land populated by the oddest of creatures and their human masters.

It seems the people of this nation physically capture and force into servitude wild animals from the surrounding countryside.   The locals referred to it as "training", but owing to the fact that these creatures were semi-literate and obviously capable of understanding the Queen's English, any educated man would immediately dub this slavery... especially when it was revealed the TRUE PURPOSE of this activity.

Like the Cock fights and Mastiff bouts held in the more deplorable regions of our country, these wretched souls are held, as if by magick or some technology undiscovered in our lands, inside amazingly compact and hand-held spherical prisons.  Upon their Master's bidding, they are thrust from this captivity into what can only be likened to the colosseum battles of ancient Rome. Two "trainers" engage in remote melee via their slaves.

I can say, to their credit, that the fighting (unlike the gladiatorial combat of the ancients) never concludes with the death of either party. But often the combatants are run to the full extent of their constitution and only allowed reprieve at their utter exhaustion.

I left this world as quickly as my mechanical steed could carry me after the full extent of this barbarity was exposed and understood.  But being the light-fingered bloke I am, and captive to my own slave-driving force (curiosity), I carefully relieved one of these so-called "trainers" of an empty "cage" and brought it home for extensive study and research.

Photographs to follow.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

In actuality, I found this decorated sphere at the local fabric store. It is made of polyester resin (fiberglass resin) and was easy to modify into a "Steam Punk Poke' Ball" by adding paint detail (it was all brassy/bronze colored at the outset) and a special resin replica cloak button I had from long ago. And that's it.  Some acrylic paint and a coat of Crystal Clear and I was done.  I LOVE easy props.  LOL!!

-Gordon

[ByChrisAnderSoN]

Whhaaoohh !!! I like this Ball, it's very Original, it's a really good work, Great job 

[Sir Nikolas Vendigroth]

Ha-ha....Ingenious! I rather like that.

[spcglider]

Once again, I must admit to being simply talented at seeing things hiding within other things.

The original ball fairly spoke to me when I found it.  Sadly I cannot locate more of the same type of ball.  I have found another type that is not quite so elaborate, but very similar in styling.  If I receive requests, I may consider doing a "run".

-Gordon

[Lady Penelope]

*chortling*

That, my good sir, is truly the most lovely...um...Poke'ball I've ever seen!   It looks like something I'd love to have gracing my fireplace mantel. 

[Sir Nazin Von Drala]

That was great I did not recognized what it was until I started reading your back story and then immediately started laughing out loud

Good show!

[Marrock]

Now you need to make one that opens...

For some reason I can picture a Psyduck with a monocle, bowler hat, and walking stick.

[Tanuki]

I have heard it said that these...monsters, for lack of a better word...are compressed into these baubles to the point one would have little trouble fitting them into, say, a suit pocket!

[JingleJoe]

Haha! That is fantastic! It took me a while to catch on to what it is
"Brasstoise! I choose you!"

Keep up the good work old sport!

[Jemima Annabelle Clough]

Brilliant

[Vienna Fahrmann]

    Dear spcglider,

    What a marvelous use of a bit of "decoration" that many of us, myself included, would have passed by without a second glance.

     Vienna

[Captain_Minty_Gearhertz]

Fantastic! I second the psyduck and add a Slowbro 

[spcglider]

I stood there, balls in hand, wondering aloud as my wife stood patiently nearby, "What can I MAKE of these???"


And yes... I know EXACTLY how that came out. Its all for the comedy, folks.  I'll be here all week!  Wocka Wocka!

-Gordon

[femonky]

 
Oh ha ha ha!
That's so delightful.
Took me 3 re-reads to figure it out!
Wonderful

[Tanuki]

Newest costume for congoers: Steampunk Pokémon Trainer.

Nearly as cool as the Steampunk Ghostbusters.

[Wise]

ahaha I love it, I was too out of it to get what you were talking about till the end, but even before that I thought it was sexy!

[chicar]

Hahahaha, genuine and hilarious.

[Nigel Wetherby]

I wonder how Tesla's research would have furthered had he acess to a Pikachu.

[heavyporker]

 I know exactly how you can improve the display of such a marvelously amusing object. You need to poke around at some, errrr... folk-artsy, especially African, I think, shops or vendors and find yourself some of these carved-from-one-piece wooden tripods. They're basically interlocking pieces of wood that can hold spherical objects remarkably well, and look lovely.

[SteamKit]

Absolutely wonderful! Great work!

-Kit

[spcglider]

I know exactly how you can improve the display of such a marvelously amusing object. You need to poke around at some, errrr... folk-artsy, especially African, I think, shops or vendors and find yourself some of these carved-from-one-piece wooden tripods. They're basically interlocking pieces of wood that can hold spherical objects remarkably well, and look lovely.

I've been pondering the display issue for several days.  The tripod stand has occurred to me , as has a round base with a "cup" of sorts to hold it.  I've thought about wood, brass, simulated steel, and glass as potential stand material.

I fear I'll be putting more $$$ and effort into the display stand than the actual object!  LOL!!

-Gordon

[spcglider]

I wonder how Tesla's research would have furthered had he acess to a Pikachu.

Excellent question!  But I've already entered MY bit of creative fiction on the subject of "Sphere du Poke'".  Someone else will have to explore THAT possibility! 

-Gordon

[Arcturon the hobo]

Sir, you have ruined my ability to consider anything than a steampunked pokemon universe.

There shall be a reckoning for this.

[Tanuki]

I expect to see Steampunk Pokémon Trainer outfits posted on this site very soon.

I shall be very disappointed, otherwise.

[Arcturon the hobo]

A friend and I were already constructing a zodiac (and alternate calendar) based on the original 151.
We shall incorporate Steaminess into it somehow.