Few people have heard of it, yet many consider John Blankenbaker's KENBAK-1 to be the first commercial personal computer.
Steampunk Robot On A Budget
By bohus
The worldwide retailer Crate & Barrel got its start here in Chicago in the 60's. For many people it was their introduction to reasonably priced furniture and imported design sensibility & materials. The barrel has burst all over the world, even spawning a youth-oriented store called CB2... though they've mostly lost the "reasonably priced" aspect of the store's origin.
There are notable exceptions, like this scrap metal robot. He's a handsomly assembled melange of brassy castoffs and cute details, such as dainty metallic cuffs and a big gauge in his tummy. The robot is normally a thrifty $20, but right now is on sale for a nifty $14.95 - a price that clearly doees not compute. Heck... the scrap metal value may be more than that these days. You can find cheapo robo at your local CB2 or via their website.
One note. The website makes mention each being "unique". I thought that meant there were different robot styles, but they're referring to the natural differences in the finish of the metals they're using, as well as different markings on the gauges. So you completists don't need to be compelled to buy more than one.
Oh, and for you cynics out there... no, this post isn't buzz marketing for either store. The only benefit we get out of this post is knowing that our brother robots can find homes with Retro Thing readers.
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