EDNOTE. I would add to Carolyn's list--membership in the International Vladimir Nabokov Society--a mere $17 for U.S.--which getss you THE NABOKOVIAN,or for the hardcore Nabokophile a subscription to the fat annual scholarly journal NABOKOV STUDIES. For the former, contact Stephen Parker at   sjp@ku.edu
  Phone: Slavic Langs, U. Kansas, Wescoe Hall, 1445 Jayhawk Blvd, Room 2134, Lawrence, KS 66045-7590; for the latter-- Zoran Kuzmanovich at<NabokovStudies@davidson.edu>
 
 
----- Original Message -----
From: Carolyn Kunin
To: Vladimir Nabokov Forum
Sent: Sunday, December 21, 2003 1:13 PM
Subject: Pale Fire toys/games for a Nabokovian Christmas (& where to findthem)

To the List,

For those last minute gifts or what to give the Nabokovian who only thinks he has everything, here are a few suggestions:

Cartesian divers (aka Cartesian demons, amerikanskie zhiteli)

A set containing everything but a plastic bottle can be purchased for $6.25 at
http://www.sciencestuff.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Category_Code=T-h2o&Product_Code=T0912

The  Royal Game of the Goose (it actually exists)

This board game is to be found for prices ranging from $10 to $125  -- the latter can be seen at http://www.gamepuzzles.com/histfun.htm#GL which also details rules of the game

Lansquenet is a gambling game:

Lansquenet is contained within a video game game called Versailles II Adventures of the King which can be had for $19.95 at
http://www.bigdaddysoftware.com/veiiteofki.html

An exceptional cultural reference

Lavish and varied decor: the Chateau, the Grande Ecurie, and above all, the gardens, with their underground passages and gushing fountains, including some reconstructions of marvels no longer intact today.

Games that were actually practised at the Court of the Sun King integrated into the adventure (lansquenet, mail...)

An information space directly linked to the game, allowing knowledge to be enriched and details about Castle and Court life to be discovered.

An orchestra of 25 musicians directed by the harpsichordist Skip Sempe, who has specially recorded more than an hour of music for the game (works by Lully, Marin Marais, Couperin, Campra...)


Horseshoes, old fashioned, but still out there

not surprisingly you'll find all sorts at http://www.horseshoesonline.com/

Eggspoons:

the obscure bit of tableware is actually widely available on the web. A rather unique example from Hitler's silverware (!) is available for the price of $329.00 at http://216.239.57.104/search?q=cache:b1hfMTDK4WQJ:www.snyderstreasures.com/pages/ahflatware.htm+eggspoon+price&hl=en&ie=UTF-8

a Pheasant:  

you can get them mailorder at McMurray Hatcheries
The common Chinese ringnecked ("torquated") can be found at http://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/product/chinese_ringneck_pheasants.html

(they also have Marina's Lady Amherst pheasant for Adaphiles:
http://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/product/juvenile_lady_amherst_pheasants.html ) Alas - sold out!

Klein bottles: someone makes them (out of glass, of course)

A large variety of klein bottles priced from $30 to $12,000 are available for viewing or purchase at http://www.kleinbottle.com/


HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL!

Carolyn