The Personal Submarine cost how much?!?
Guess the prices of these Hammacher classics
Our reputation precedes us… If any given person knows one thing about Hammacher Schlemmer, it’s probably one of the over-the-top products that have graced the front cover of our catalogue, or garnered the spotlight on The Today Show, or “broken the Internet”, as the kids might still say. The Personal Submarine is a perennial favorite, as is The Golf Cart Hovercraft, and The Inflatable Irish Pub has its coterie of admirers.
But do you remember how much they cost? Test your memory - or your ability to value the invaluable - with our new Hammacher Schlemmer Classics price guessing game.
Can you really put a price on the magic of an authentic 1966 Batmobile, or The Wearable Tent, or The World’s Largest Crossword Puzzle? Yes. We’ve done it. Now you can, too, thanks to this digital plaything. It’s a bit like The Price is Right from an alternate and much sillier universe.
Some words to the pennywise: don’t assume everything in the game costs a king’s ransom. Our creative director Dave has curated past masterworks from up and down the pricing scale. But if you see something really, ludicrously amazing? Think of an absurd number. Then double it. We didn’t get where we are today by undervaluing ourselves.
If that’s too much pressure, take a leisurely browse through our Hammacher Schlemmer Classics gallery, where all of those attention-getters and more are assembled, complete with original photos, copy, and prices. None are currently available for purchase, but one never knows. A groundswell of renewed interest for The Barbecue Dining Boat or The Tranquility Pod could move us to blow the dust off those old blueprints and fire up the fabricators.
Of course, as we add more old classics to that virtual museum, the hunt for new classics never ends. Who can say which of our current favorites posterity will celebrate as premier exemplars of The Best, The Unique, and The Unexpected? Best of all, if something in our current range tickles your fancy, fear not - we tell you the price right up front.
And if you like Gnomenclature, you should know about Shoddy Goods, Jason’s other newsletter. It tells similar stories about consumer culture and history, but drawn from the rest of the world outside Hammacher Schlemmer. It’s about as fun as your Inbox can get.
Would be nice if the gallery included the years each item was available for purchase.
Strong companies usually have a high tolerance for boring excellence. They answer the phone, ship on time, and keep promises long after the excitement leaves the room.