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In college I was befriended by the only true playboy I’ve ever met. Roberto Cerinni. From Orange County, with an affected accent somewhere between Naples and Brooklyn, he presented himself as a foreign exchange student.
Joe Magarac Squeezes Steel Rails between his Fingers, Courtesy of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh
Enamel has been around for decorative and functional use for centuries. Vitreous enamel is akin to ceramic glaze — it is most commonly the result of fusing powdered glass (or less often a glass paste or spray) to a metal or ceramic substrates. Enamel is bonded to metal in kilns at a high temperatures, somewhere between 1400 and 1640°F.
Enamelware Cup, circa 1920
The origins of bottle water can be traced back to the European health spas of the 1700s, which began the practice of giving out some of their healthy waters for patrons to take with them. Following in the logic of supply and demand, the spas began to charge a fee for the pleasure of drinking their waters, creating some of the longest lasting contemporary bottled water purveyors: Evian, San Pellegrino, Perrier, and Vittel, along with several others. These companies spawned an entire industry and by the early 20th century, Europe was exporting bottled water world-wide.
"After the Rape...", Fake Perrier Advertising by the French Magazine Hara-Kiri, 1970s
Exotic Leather
Python Escalades, electric blue crocodile pimp loafers, and ostrich jackets are the very embodiment of tackiness—luxury writ large and rendered tragically cheesy. Exotic skins, the tidy stripes of silky eel, the beautifully imperfect patterns of snake, and the smooth rectangular gradations of crocodile, were treasured for their uniqueness and rarity. Used sparingly on cigarette cases tucked into the inside pocket of a flannel suit jacket, or as a delicate clutch in a gloved hand, restraint itself underscored the preciousness of each skin.
Crocodile on Deck of a Steamer in Africa, Courtesy of Gordon Mumford (Click on Image to Enlarge)
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