The new Herman Miller Select walnut spinning tops are gorgeous little works of sculptural art. The designs are original. And the designers, KleinReid, are legitimately talented artists and sculptors.
Props to Herman Miller for doing something completely unexpected. That is what is great about Herman Miller's credo, always innovative, always fresh?even if they are retro toys!
These would make an awesome gift!
Tops!
Thanks for the heads up, Midcentury feller. I'd never even heard of the HM tops, and now that I have I hate, hate, hate them. One would have to be a total, unqualified douchebag tool to buy one. And anyone who gets one for Christmas will immediately convert to Islam. If these were banned, the national suicide rate would plummet. Plus, they're not even made of mahogany. And they're ugly. Not even ugly, just bland and unoriginal. Ah, yes, a top. Very revolutionary design in the 18th Century. I'm so glad you turned me on to these so I can devote my life to speaking truth to the power. These suck. IMHO.
Like I said in the other thread.
They're nice, imo. Don't really like the most plain-looking (cylindrical) one.
They will be overpriced, I'm sure.
There is certainly a disconnect between the cowhide LCW and these tops. Not really sure what the HM Select Program is trying to achieve.... perhaps they don't know either.
So, "meh", as they say.
...and those tops are easier for Herman Miller
to produce. No pulling out any nasty, dusty, difficult furniture plans from their archives. They don't have to reset anything but a lathe.
Probably next year's 'select' feature will be a flying duck lamp...not the Nelson Flying Duck design, but more likely a weathered farmer's weather vane design.
I can understand...
folks being disappointed in Herman Miller for releasing these as a "select" item. They may not be special enough IN THAT SENSE, but the tops themselves are quite nice and I would be proud to have them especially with my Walnut fetish. I also agree that they will most likely be STUPID expensive which is a shame.
KleinReid does beautiful work, so they've done their part quite well. Herman Miller are the ones who have dropped the proverbial ball.
HM is anything but fresh. Of ...
HM is anything but fresh. Of course I like their classics, and I realize that residential furniture is not their biggest $$$. But in the past, the creative spirit was alive and well. Dupree put out most anything the designers wanted to try. They were always coming out with NEW designs.
They need to grow some balls and take some risks.
Just an idea
It is indeed unlikely that spinning tops are high on the list of interesting design work and whoever finds it sculptural art should consult a dictionary but this being said, we never shied away from tongue ?n cheek threads so why not transform this one in a list of suggestions to the Herman Miller Corporation on major contributions to design history they could make by re-editing bits and pieces of the Eames family legacy. To start this exercise, my first proposal would be to produce the Eames doorbell, a series of four ceramic bells on a wheel?
By the way, when someone qualifies a product with: These would make an awesome gift! it translates mostly to something you do not want or need yourself
.
That doorbell would make an awesome gift 🙂
Ages ago I made a set of 'house of cards' for myself out of 5mm thick plywood, entertained my niece and nephew quite well, a better material choice too I thought and though I cut them individually (faster than you'd think) they could be made pretty cheaply and nicely with some screen printing and cnc cutting.
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