I was first told about these wooden frames by an editor of UR Chicago, he mentioned he saw wood glasses in the New York Times Magazine. I didn't think too much of it, assuring him that they were most likely machine made and couldn't compare to the level of customization, quality, uniqueness, etc. of my wood specs.
Then I finally checked my week's old voice mail box and found my mother mentioning the same wood frames in the NYT Magazine. She said they looked exactly like the frames I wear so I thought I would scan the NYT website to see what I could find. And here is part of "The New Collectibles" that I came up with.
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Danny says, "...
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"That's right Danny. When you are a "designer", or label, who gets your mass produced products into Barney's, $2665 for a pair of glasses is only the starting point", says the narrator.
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But actually, those do look a lot like the specs that I wear, without the turquoise inlays though.
And then I started thinking how odd it was that this idea of wooden glasses appeared in the New York Times exactly a day longer than a month after my wood specs were showcased in a New York published and freely distributed magazine called Absolute. Here is the article.
At this point, I was compelled to call Barneys and order a pair. (the following is pretty much the conversation with Barneys on Madison Avenue).
Me: hi, i would like to speak with somebody about the number (n)ine wood glasses that i saw in the nyt magazine.
B1: I'll transfer you.
me: hi, i would like to speak with somebody about the number (n)ine wood glasses that i saw in the nyt magazine.
B2: What kind, wood frames? We don't have anything like that. I'll send you to the Barney's Co-op.
me: hi, i would like to speak with somebody about the number (n)ine wood glasses that i saw in the nyt magazine.
B3: Um, we don't carry any wood frames, you are probably looking for the first floor, ill transfer you.
me: no, no, no, they just sent me to you. you dont have any wood glasses made by number (n)ine; they were just in the t-magazine.
B3: Sorry, I don't know anything about it.
me: okay, thanks for the help.
So Barneys knows nothing about them. I'll have to call the Number (N)ine headquarters. They will certainly have the info I'm looking for.
Play Dramatized Phone Conversation with Number (N)ine
Let me spell out that phone conversation in chart form.
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Now I know it sounds like I have a stick up my ass when I'm ranting here, but just work with me for a second. If I were to come into your home, lets say you are a family person, and take one of your kids and raise my newborn in the exact same fashion producing a pair of clones (never mind genes here), wouldn't it upset you a bit, while also being a compliment I acknowledge. But how about an academic, if I read all your ideas and loved them so that I basically wrote my dissertation around your subjects and thoughts without giving you due credit, would you not be a bit upset. In fact, I believe they have a name for that frowned upon activity, plagiarism.
But I had an idea a while back to make spectacles from a block of wood for myself, then started offering my idea and gained talent to others as a service, so when I am presented with the appropriation of my brainchild in the form of a "designers" collection, which only has the concern of making money, yes I am a bit disturbed by the idea. This is why I will be going to Barneys on Madison in January '08. I will be there to at least look at Number (N)ine's "hand carved" wood frames, if not purchase to them. Which leads me to my next point and offering...
From this date, Sept 25, 2008, forward, I will be donating 10% of all frames that I sell to support the cause of, "Scott Urban Buying Back His Design and Idea Foundation". This newly created foundation will allow me, Scott Urban, to purchase one of the first, if not the first, pair of frames of Number (N)ine wood frames from Barneys when they become available. The SUBBHDIF will also be accepting promised donations of any amount which will not be cashed until there is enough support for me to purchase the frames, namely $2250, of which the remaining balance I am willing to pay out of my pocket. I will of course, in this video reality age, bring a video camera to document the experience to share with all.
So if you are one who is against plagiarism, or one who wouldn't like to see people with ideas and specialized talent be washed away by the fakers of mass production, perhaps a person who doesn't enjoy it when somebody tells you about a thought that you mentioned to them a long time ago and now thinks of it as their own, then put your pennies together and support the Scott Urban Buying Back His Design and Idea Foundation. This is not a joke unless the foundation does not receive a total pledge amount of $2250 by January '08.
Danny says, "...
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email your pledges of verbal or monetary support to: scott@urbanspectacles.com
words help my soul, but the monetary will help my ego.