| “The country house party occupies a special place in British culture. Whether it involves jazz and cocaine, or sherry and stilted conversation, or even a body in the library and the arrival of Miss Marple, the weekend spent in a moated manor house or a palatial Palladian villa has come to epitomize the privileged lifestyle of a tiny minority in an age which has passed. And while we might celebrate its passing, a little part of us still wishes we could have been there at the wake.”
—Adrian Tinniswood, The House Party Whether you are host or guest,
we have the perfect whimsical gift for any home Top: Nomenclature of Colors Birchwood Tray
This generously sized tray captures the vintage charm of Werner's Nomenclature of Colours, first published in 1814. The named color samples were illustrated, described, and used by Charles Darwin in his scientific observations. The Nomenclature is considered an ancestor of modern color systems such as Pantone. Bottom: Cotton tea towels featuring chickens, vegetables, and cheese
Beautifully detailed and hand-colored, these images have a classic and timeless appeal, and have been faithfully reproduced on these soft, absorbent, and generously sized tea towels. C.O. Bigelow Apothecary Box Each apothecary box is illustrated with the iconic C.O. Bigelow storefront and glimpses of the Manhattan cityscape, and each contains two of the chemist’s most popular formulas: Body Cleanser and Body Lotion. The refreshing wash provides a creamy lather and gently cleanses, while the silky lotion provides lightweight moisture as it conditions the skin. | Provençal Scented Savon de Marseille Savon de Marseille is the authentic soap that has been made in the Provençal city of Marseille, following a strict recipe and method, for more than six centuries. The result is a pure, natural soap that is unparalleled for skin care as well as for stain removal. In France, it has been trusted for generations to cleanse everything from little faces to linens. | Wildflowers Napkins Each cotton napkin in this set of four is printed with a beautifully detailed and colored vintage illustration of wildflower specimens. Although the flowers are labeled with their Latin names, nature lovers will probably recognize many of the flowers and have fun looking up the unfamiliar. | Garden Napkins These napkins are printed with a colorful vintage illustration of vegetables often grown in a kitchen garden: peas, shell beans, gourds, squash, artichoke, and more. The image, from an antique print archive, is beautifully detailed and colored and has a classic and timeless appeal. | Birds of North America:
1,000-Piece PuzzlesLeft: Birds of Western North America
Right: Birds of Eastern and Central North America
These puzzles come with QR codes developed by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology that allow you to listen to the birds’ songs and calls on a smartphone while working the puzzle. There’s also an informational poster included, with illustrations of the 120 birds depicted on the puzzle. | Prohibition and Repeal Amendments Rocks Glasses A pair of rocks glasses: a witty and, yes, sobering reminder of the historical path to legal drinking in the United States. One glass is printed with a reproduction of the 18th Amendment to the United States Constitution, which prohibited the manufacture, sale, and transportation of intoxicating liquors. The other eleven ounce glass is printed with a reproduction of the 21st Amendment, which repealed Prohibition. | Classic French Market Bag Pull out the Larousse: you’ll run out of the superlatives you’ll need to describe this classic net tote. Maybe the manufacturer’s tagline says it best—Le IT BAG écolo (the ecological IT BAG). Chic as Chanel, it’s eminently practical: it takes up hardly any space and is machine washable, durable, inexpensive, and 100% cotton. | Handmade Memory Game with Vintage ImageryIf you are looking for a unique and original gift, seek no further. The tiles and boxes of these memory games are entirely handmade by the artist and graphic designer Sarah Caplan. The wooden game tiles have gold-painted edges and are backed with patterned handmade papers. | This is the authentic panier du marché, the traditional straw market basket used for centuries throughout France. With a spacious interior and durable construction, it is seen almost as often on beaches and at picnics as it is in markets. Sturdy and functional, these handcrafted baskets embody the chic and practical French lifestyle. | Cinephile: A Card Game for Film Nerds, Movie Geeks, and Cinephiles With 150 cards and multiple ways to play, this “stylish and addictive card game” (GQ) is the perfect choice for everyone from casual moviegoers to bona fide film nerds. When we asked an editor at New York Review Books—one of our resident cinephiles—what they thought about it, we learned it’s their go-to gift. The game is a well-crafted mix of sleek design and trivia about film and pop culture. | Fifty-Year Calendar Paperweight So much information in such a compact object. This slim but hefty paperweight has fifty years of monthly calendars. Want to know which day of the week your sixtieth birthday will fall on, or maybe your twenty-fifth wedding anniversary? Simply line up the month and year at the top of the dial to reveal the complete calendar of the desired month. Leap years are indicated in red. Like many a well-designed object, it feels good in the hand. It is a handsome and practical addition to any desk. | Wildflowers
Tea Towel This 100% organic cotton tea towel features intricate illustrations of wildflowers published in 1902 in a book described as a reference for the field botanist, the country resident, or the summer rambler. | Fungi
Tea Towel These illustrations of fungi from England and Wales were drawn by a naturalist over the course of forty years, beginning in 1860. The towel comes neatly folded and tied with a fabric ribbon, ready for gifting. | Shapes of Leaves
Tea Towel Painted by a Japanese artist, these intricate illustrations of leaves and flowers were first published in the book The Introduction to Botany in 1873. With a loop for hanging; machine washable; 27" x 18". | Test your knowledge of all things literary and learn fun facts about authors, characters, plot points, adaptations, and more. With three difficulty levels, this set of multiple-choice questions is perfect for players with every level of literary knowledge. | This eye-catching portable box holds 140 multiple-choice questions about artworks from around the globe and artists from all eras; topics range from ancient to contemporary art, fine arts to traditional crafts, museums and galleries to street art. | Put your knowledge of the avian kingdom to the test with Bird Trivia! Nested in a chic little eye-catching portable box are 140 multiple-choice questions about birds. The game may be played on three levels, depending on the players’ knowledge. | The Night Sky Postcards This handsome foil-stamped box holds fifty postcards, each with a single sublime image: a page from Galileo’s sketchbooks, a Chinese star map, an artist’s interpretation of the universe, or a rarely seen image from the NASA archives. | “Be Happy for This Moment” Gold Bracelet This stylish gold bracelet is etched with this succinct blessing from Omar Khayyam’s The Rubáiyát: “Be happy for this moment. This moment is your life.” | 100 Classic New York Times Crossword Puzzles Book Since its launch in 1942, the New York Times crossword has been considered the gold standard for puzzle workers of all skill levels. | Balsa Wood Model Airplane Kits These airplanes are an old-school, irresistible way to get kids away from their screens and outside. (And not only kids: they’re fun for seventeen-year-olds and seventy-year-olds too.) | Vintage Pencils Enamel Tray The artwork on this tray was reproduced from illustrations of vintage pencils adapted from A.W. Faber’s 1898 stationery catalog. It’s the perfect receptacle for coins, keys, or jewelry—or you can use it as a pencil tray. | Set: A Family GameThe three families of staff members who tried this game had similar experiences. The game quickly turned from competitive to raucously cooperative—players constantly jumping in to identify or object to sets—not as easy or as obvious as one would think. Most impressive: the youngest players were as successful as the adults. | Sunprint KitSunprinting is based on the cyanotype process, which has been used by artists since its development in the 19th century. Sunprints are enjoyed by preschoolers through teens and adults—anyone who enjoys creative activities. | Percy Bysshe Shelley’s
Poetry in Bloom JournalThe design reproduced on the cover of this beautifully made journal is from an antique cover for The Sensitive Plant and Early Poems. The binding was originally crafted in 1910 in London, by Riviere and Son, bookbinders to the Royal Family. | The Moth: A Game of StorytellingThe Moth is all about true stories told live, and this game is designed to prompt a volley of sharing and listening between players. Created by the program’s storytelling experts, this interactive card game encourages lively conversations, sparks creativity, and improves public speaking abilities. | Read Banned Books Enamel Pin The best way to protest the banning of books is to read them. Spread the word by pinning this “Read Banned Books” pin to a lapel, backpack, or bookbag. It’s 1" by 1" and made of brass with a white nickel finish. | Banned Books Socks These unisex cotton blend socks are “mismatched.” One sock displays the titles of fifty famous banned books, including One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Song of Solomon, The Catcher in the Rye, The Call of the Wild, The Grapes of Wrath, and more. The other sock lists the same titles, only redacted with a black bar. Black and white. | Flower Press Kit This flower press is a beautiful and functional piece that can press multiple flowers at the same time. Having pressed flowers for more than thirty years, the designer of this kit has included all the components needed to successfully press your own flowers. | Illuminated Dandelion Crystal Ball Let the light shine with this beautiful illuminated crystal ball, featuring a 3D laser-engraved dandelion design. A symbol of hope, love, and happiness, the dandelion will bring natural warmth, beauty, and energy to your space. | The World of Jane Austen: 1,000-Piece Puzzle You’ll find sixty characters and great houses from the novels of Jane Austen set against the landscapes in which they are featured. Accompanying the puzzle is a fold-out poster of the image, along with a key to the people, both real and fictional, featured on the puzzle. | The World of The Great Gatsby: 1,000-Piece Puzzle Find Daisy Buchanan weeping over a pile of silk shirts, Gatsby gazing towards the green light of his dreams, Ernest Hemingway working at his typewriter, and the all-seeing eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg surveying the wreckage as you puzzle towards the story’s tragic conclusion. | The World of Agatha Christie: 1,000-Piece Puzzle Follow trails of murder and mystery as you travel down the Nile or on the Orient Express on the heels of Poirot, Miss Marple, and others. As you build the puzzle, spot famous characters, crime-solving clues, and historical locations, as well as Christie and her real-life inspiration. | The New York Review of Books Baseball CapCelebrate your favorite magazine with our brand new baseball cap. This smart black cap features the New York Review of Books logo in bright red. A velcro adjustable strap means this cap offers a comfortably snug fit. This cap is the most stylish way to read the latest copy of the Review without the sun in your eyes. |
