That's a Costume!

Think little Bobby's homemade Halloween costume was an involved undertaking? Check out Big Daddy!

Steampunk Percussion Revolver

This revolver was too cool to be an ugly gun. It was also up for auction at Rock Island Auction House.

This unusual and unique revolver was probably built during the great American firearms explosion of ideas in the mid 19th century. It has a 6 7/8" octagon barrel with an unusual turned cannon shaped brass fitting over muzzle and 6 groove straight rifling. The top of the barrel has a brass rod which extends through a bracket that has two tiny dovetails in the top flat. The rear end of rod is fitted with a fixed V-groove sight along with an articulated peep sight. It has a tiny 2 piece ramrod pinned into the barrel lug with a tension spring dovetailed into bottom flat. The loading lever handle is octagon shaped and tapered to larger front end. It has 6 shot unfluted cylinder with protruding nipples and a curious shield in frame reminiscent of pepperbox nipple shields of the Richards found on American made pistols of the 1830-40 era. It has a ring trigger, spurless hammer and is double action only. The grip is long and curved with brass panels, internally mounted, with an 8 pointed geometric star at top on each side and a most unique design on bottom with a small trap door cover on each side. It is completely unmarked although the revolver was not disassembled in an effort to locate any hidden markings.

Estimated Price: $3,000 - $5,000

I'm not sure what it sold for.......

The Badonkadonk Land Cruiser/Tank

The JL421 Badonkadonk is a completely unique, extremely rare land vehicle and battle tank. Designed with versatility in mind, the Donk can transport cargo or a crew of five internally or on the roof, and can be piloted from within the armored shell or from an exposed standing position through the hatch, thanks to special one-way steel mesh armor windows and a control stick that pivots up and down to allow piloting from the standing or seated positions. The interior is fully carpeted and cozy, with accent lighting and room for up to five people. A 400 watt premium sound system with PA is mounted to project sound both into the cabin and outward from behind the windows. The exterior is a steel shell with a rust patina, and features head and tail lights, turn signal lights, trim lighting, underbody lighting, fixed slats protecting the windows, and a unique industrial-strength rubberized flexible skirt that shields and protects the wheels to within an inch of the ground, while still allowing for enough flex to give clearance over bumpy and uneven terrain. Master power, ignition, all lighting, and stereo features are controlled from a single switchboard to the left of the driver, again accessible from either the seated or standing position. Standard drive is an air-cooled, 6hp Tecumseh gasoline (unleaded only) engine, with centrifugal clutch, giving the Donk a top speed of 40 mph. This vehicle is not licensed for use on public roads, and is intended as a recreational vehicle only.

Available in time for Christmas, from amazon.com. Price: $19,999.95

Customer Reviews

Steampunk Guns and the Nagant Revolver

I was cruising the web looking at some of the fantasy steampunk ray guns while searching for ugly guns. The coolest, in my opinion was the Victorious Mongoose 1902a - concealable ray pistol. It is, of course, pure fantasy.

The Victorious Mongoose operates on the extremely sophisticated scientific principals pioneered in Dr. Grordbort's full size weapons; Aether Oscillation, Atomic Vibratulation, high pitch whining noises, all these techniques were used, and more.

But, despite its humble proportion, the pistol packs quite a whollop. Able to project a conical emission for up to seventeen yards, the Victorious Mongoose will obliterate four pounds of Budgerigars in three fascinating seconds.

While all steampunky and everything, it struck me that the real thing is frequently overlooked by the folks that enjoy these brass and steel creations. I have to admit that I was shocked by the price tag on this prop toy as well. US $535.

The Nagant 1895 revolver is one such gun. Designed by Léon Nagant, a Belgian industrialist, the Nagant M1895 is a military revolver that has a gas seal between the cylinder and forcing cone. The cylinder actually moves forward to seal off the cylinder gap prior to cartridge ignition. Because the ignition gases do not escape the cylinder gap, the Nagant is one of the few revolvers that is able to be effectively suppressed, giving an assassin a handgun that will not spew brass or make much noise. Suppressed Nagant revolvers were used by the Viet Cong, and a suppressed Nagant revolver resides in the CIA Museum in Langley, Virginia.

A couple of years ago, many of these historical weapons were imported and sold as surplus in the United States. Cursed with obscure, weak and expensive ammunition, as well as a heavy trigger pull, they were not popular sellers. Still, they sold readily in like new condition with the original holsters and lanyards for under $100. If you are interested in getting a Nagant revolver of your own, the revolver is still available with the holster and tools from Aim Surplus. They have 7.62 Nagant ammunition as well.

Surplus Nagant 1895 Parts

The Steampunk Bicycle

Somethings are just to fantastic to describe. On June 1, 1896, mad bicyclist Sylvester Roper arrived at the Charles River race track in Boston with a contraption that was beyond the scope of anything ridden before. Grafted onto an 1894 Columbia frame was a coal fired steel boiler with a 73 year old inventor on top. That must have been one hot ride........Literally!

A week previously, he had clocked his machine at a breath taking 40MPH. Roper made three laps at an average speed of 30MPH. Then Roper poured on the fire and tragedy struck. From the Boston Daily Globe:

“The machine was cutting out a lively pace on the back stretch when the men seated near the training quarters noticed the bicycle was unsteady. The forward wheel wobbled, and then suddenly, the cycle was deflected from its course and plunged off the track into the sand, throwing the rider and overturning.

All rushed to the assistance of the inventor, who lay motionless beneath his wheel, but as soon as they touched him they perceived that life was extinct. Dr. Welcott was summoned and after an examination gave the opinion that Mr. Roper was dead before the machine left the track.”

A heart attack had ended his eccentric genius. Sylvester Roper left behind a 20 year legacy of steam powered cycles. This one, on which he took his last ride is on display at the Motorcycle Hall of Fame museum in Columbus, Ohio.

Steampunk Bike

What can I say? This motor scooter is just to damned cool........Enjoy!

Steampunk Monitor

Go here to see how a Dell flatscreen monitor was made into art to match a keyboard.

Steam Punk

I must be behind the times.........I guess most old guys are. I have noticed a certain whimsical Victorian styling to many objects d'art, and even functional items as well. Kind of a history that never really was.

I always found this styling cool. I remember the guy with the helicopter in Mad Max. He had panache, a certain technological out here aloofness that defied categorization. More recently, I learned this styling has been given a name.........Steam Punk. So that is what I have enjoyed! Ironically, Steam Punk is the essence of a design that is hopelessly out of step with modern convention. Sort of an alternate reality with a history that split from ours somewhere in the past, and either zoomed off into an apocalyptic wasteland, or a world of eccentric, opulent beauty.....or both. Cathode bulbs, brass, glass and bizarre filigree, yeah, I could get into this stuff.