A few weeks ago on a lazy Sunday afternoon I visited a popular coastal Adelaide suburb called Brighton. Whilst I was there I noticed a wonderful looking lamp in a trendy gallery. What was particularly interesting about it was that it was constructed from old machine parts and actually has a pressure gauge attached to it. Personally I am a huge fan of upcycling so it didn’t take much convincing to buy the item. Certainly now it is displayed in our living room it certainly is a talking point because (at first glance) people can’t tell exactly what it is.
As a writer I am constantly looking for new and exciting products to write about. A great source of inspiration is Maximilian Büsser’s fantastic M.A.D.Gallery. Clearly Mr. Büsser has a really discerning eye because some of the products featured are phenomenal. A great example is Berlin based designer Frank Buchwald. His custom made lights are sensational and will definitely be featured on Total Design Reviews in the very near future. However, the creation that really caught my eye is the Nixie Machine he developed for MB & F.
A few years ago I became interested in Nixie tubes and bought a watch from US based company Cathode corner called the ‘Nixie Watch’. The timepiece has a brilliant deconstructed appearance and was promoted by Steve Wosniak. Apparently he owns several of these watches and has publicly stated he wished he had created this product. Designer/inventor has now invented a second generation model, with many refinements including a USB battery charging facility. In my opinion the Nixie Machine by Frank Buchwald has a very similar aesthetic to the original Nixie Watch (which I personally prefer). However, at CHF 24,800 ($25,571) the price tag is substantially higher than this timepiece, which retails for around $500. Primarily this is due to the exclusive nature of the piece (which is limited to only 12 pieces) and the more cohesive design. This item is also constructed from high quality materials like brass and steel.
The Nixie Machine measures a whopping 90cm (length) x 42cm (height) and will definitely make an incredibly bold statement in anyone’s home.
