Lego Ideas announces typewriter set

source - LEGO IDEAS

LEGO Ideas announces LEGO Typewriter set

One imagines that typewriter aficionados like myself were - and probably still are - fans of Lego as well (indeed aren't most of us?), since it no doubt appeals to the mechanically-minded and the imaginative in much the same way as typewriters do.  Certainly I remember fondly the massive box of assorted Lego bricks I had growing up, the myriad different designs I built up out of them and especially the Lego Pirates sets that I spent many a happy hour building and playing with.  While all of that is now long gone I still find myself marvelling and coveting many of the more mature "Creations" series that Lego occasionally put out between the more traditionally child-friendly sets.  Their Sopwith Camel, for instance, now sadly discontinued and very hard to come by (and subsequently very expensive) is one I'd especially like to own!

source - Lego.com

Now comes the excellent news that one of the forthcoming sets to be produced in the Lego range - having garnered over 10,000 votes in Lego's fan-based Ideas community - is a typewriter and on initial viewing I can safely say that it joins the Camel on my bricklist (see what I did there...?).  Certainly its creator Steve Guinness, who I am pleased to see hails from the UK, is to be applauded for building such an accurate-looking machine out of largely standard Lego bricks.  Alas he does not mention in the accompanying interview which model of typewriter inspired his design so I will leave it to my fellow typosphereans to hazard a guess!  Regardless of what exact model it is meant to represent I have to say it is a splendid facsimile in spite of the limitations imposed and the attention to detail is mightily impressive.  One could almost be forgiven for thinking it a working example.

source - LEGO IDEAS

Mr Guinness's wider enthusiasm for his medium is obvious and his desire to use Lego creatively as a means of educating and inspiring youngsters through workshops in association with local schools and museums is entirely laudable.  I find myself in complete agreement with him when he speaks of his wonderful set "bringing nostalgia to adult fans[...], and wonder and curiosity to younger fans who might not have ever seen a real typewriter!".  He definitely sounds like a kindred spirit judging by that comment and if his Lego typewriter can engender the feelings he describes in the younger generation - particularly to the point of getting them interested in real typers - then so much the better.  In the meantime I shall keep a look out for this set in the shops (where hopefully it will not be as wallet-crippling as the Camel) with a view obtaining an example for myself!

Gallery searches for stolen brick

Gallery searches for stolen brick

Yes. A brick. And not from the gallery's actual structure either. No, someone seems to think that if a certain "artist" writes his signature on an ordinary house brick it suddenly becomes art and worth £3,000. Which is why I'm overcome with delight that some perceptive, quick-witted fellow has taken the opportunity to show it up for the pointless charade that the whole thing typifies. Here's a question - why, if the replacement brick also has writing upon it, is it too not worth £3,000? Is not a "worthless equivalent" an oxymoron? If something is an equivalent, it is the same as the thing it replaces, so logically this new brick should be worth £3,000 as well. In fact, if I got a brick and signed it, then passed it off as "art", I could make three thousand pounds too, couldn't I? Of course not. The whole idea of a signed brick being high art is a farce of the highest order and frankly I fail to understand the mentality of anyone who says otherwise. What we have here, in essence, is little more than a three grand signature. If I were an auctioneer or a valuer and someone approached me with this and asked me for £3,000, I'd call for the men in white coats. Still, you've got to laugh.