Press Releases

What was your favourite toy as a child? Mr Potato Head perhaps, a Meccano set, a Slinky, Lego, a Hula Hoop or just a good old Teddy Bear. Whatever it was, the chances are it appears in 100 Classic Toys, a fascinating new book by David Smith that charts the history of some of our best-loved toys and games. All the toys selected have stood the test of time. You can still buy them for your children or grandchildren. David Smith says of the classic toys: I think those that have stood the test of time are the simple ones that don't limit the child's play. "Unlike today's video games, you can never exhaust the possibilities of something like Lego. "It's great to watch my boys playing with their Lego bricks. They get completely absorbed in it." Some of the best-known toys weren't actually meant to be played with originally. Often, it was just a chance discovery that made them into best-selling favourites. Play-Doh, for instance, spent 20 years as Kutol Wall Cleaner, before somebody realised it would be great for kids. A quick rebranding and the addition of the famous scent and Play-Doh was soon selling fast – over two billion tubs have now been sold worldwide.
Another toy was invented by chance by an American naval engineer. Richard James was experimenting with springs when he noticed how elegantly they fell to the floor in a series of steps. The Slinky was born and went on to sell over 300 million. That included a boost to sales when it was one of the characters in the Toy Story series. "The toy industry must have been rubbing their hands with glee when those films came out," said David. "Parents seeing the film wanted to buy the toys for their kids or just for the nostalgic thrill of having one again themselves".

Review by: Sarah's Book Reviews

"The one hundred classic toys have been split into eight sections within the book: building toys; games and puzzles; activity toys; role-play toys; trucks and transports; toys for making things; future classics; and finally... Along with lots of photographs of how the toys included have changed throughout the years, there is lots of additional information and facts about the toys. Who knew that when Twister was released in 1966, that executives were worried that it would attract criticism, but it went on to sell three million copies in its first year..." read more

Designing Celtic Ornament

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Review by: Karen Platt

I cannot sing the praises of this book enough. I have seen many books on Celtic ornament in the past, but this one surpasses all. It has excellent production, with wonderful colour plates. The book gives a history of Celtic ornament. It looks at each of the major design elements in detail. You can see from the wonderfully clear and large drawings how the designs are made up. Here you will find spirals, triskels, interlace, tree of life, labyrinths, animals and much more. If you have ever bought other books on how to draw Celtic designs and given up, I urge you to buy this book. You will succeed with this one. This book is a treasury of Celtic design and ornament and can be used for inspiration in both art and craft. I loved it.

Cool Craft

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Review by: Mobile Crafts

"This has been the best book I have seen in the craft market in a long time. I teach to all levels and abilities and took this book along with me to craft evenings this week and children as young as 7 were able to follow the clear instructions and make things. I would highly recommend this book to anyone of any abilities as the instructions are clear and easy to follow." Mobile Crafts

Review by: Cool Crafting Blog

"We are looking forward to reviewing new crafting book titles on this site and Cool Craft seems a very appropriate place to start. Cool Craft by Bridget Bodoano is aimed at bringing contemporary crafting to people of all ages. The projects in this book are simple enough for the complete beginner with clear instructions and tips on basic techniques. There are many craft titles on the market at the moment, but what sets this book apart are the project designs themselves and the graphics/ illustrations..." read more

Crazy Gifts

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Review by: 2Modern Blog

"Who says design has to be so serious all the time? We appreciate being reminded that though design serves the function of practicality, it also serves the function of fun! These are two definitely fun books that are worth checking out if you are a design connisseur or just like seeing what else is out there..." read more

Crazy Design

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Review by: Designer magazine

"Regular readers of our Notebook section will know that here at Designer, we're partial to the odd bit of crazy design. There's nothing like some wacky pendant light made from bottles or a boat-shaped bath to stretch the creative imagination. This guide to such frivolities is a fun tour of some of the more unusual aspects of design - some practical, some very much straddling the design/art border in which aesthetics have superceded practicality. Not surprisingly, Marcel Wanders features, as do a number of our favourite items from Notebook over the years - the aforementioned boat bath in particular. How much of this stuff you would actually want in your home is perhaps open to question, but nonetheless, for anyone excited by creative experimentation, this collection of leftfield projects is irresistible."

Review by: Nursery Culture Blog

"Every now and then, we interior designers come across an accessory or piece of furniture that looks, well, crazy. Since we are nursery and child space designers, what most people consider crazy, we consider whimsical and fun..." read more

Review by: 2Modern Blog

Russian Elegance

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Review by: The Russian Fashion Blog

"In the beginning of the 18th century Russia experienced abrupt political, economic and social changes, implemented by Peter the Great's steady hand. Among his many reforms, Peter promoted social modernization by requiring courtiers, state officials and the military to shave their beards and wear European dress. Thanks to him (I say it ironically), from 1700 up until the present time European fashion has been considered superior to Russian..." read more

Icons: Masterpieces of Russian Art

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Review by: Sir Richard Temple

"This wonderfully illustrated book will prove highly valuable for English speaking readers for whom there is so little available in English on the later period of Russian icons painting. The author brings meticulous art historical scholarship to the detailed description of Russian icons of the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries some of which are published for the first time. Such icons are accessible to western collectors, auction houses and galleries and this book is an important contribution to understanding their historical context, their function and the aesthetic outlook of their creators."

Review by: Karen Platt

"In the West books on Russian iconography are rare, even rarer in the English language. This book addresses the gap and provides a detailed and beautifully illustrated volume on Russian icons from the sixteenth to the early twentieth century. It gives an introduction to the museum that now houses the icons. Some of the icons have been published for the first time. Discover excellent illustrations including some full page plates and close-ups of details along with competent supporting text. Sixty icons are here for you to explore. This book was previously published in Russian."

Press Articles

Vivays Publishing at the London Book Fair 2011 article by The Bookseller

download the article by The Bookseller.