Strangest/Coolest/Weirdest Merch Items from Third Man Record

[DeeBee]

List at Stereogum:

http://stereogum.com/1059881/jack-white ... istomania/

(They include a link to whiteswirl.com.)

Listomania: Jack White’s 10 Weirdest Merch Items
By Aaron Lariviere / 2012 June 11th

Think about it: How many times have you found yourself in dire need of a stylish balsa plane that represents your choice listening tastes — but you can only find a Plane Jane model flyer? The White Stripes frontman knows the feeling, and being the beneficent generator of pop-kitsch that he is, he’s got you covered. Where lesser artists fail to merchandize beyond T-shirts and beer koozies, White has taken pains to prove that you can brand anything. Endless collectible output has led to a rabid culture of collectors who eat this stuff up and — naturally — they have their own forum.

Whether it’s daily essentials like Raconteurs soap, cool variations on familiar vinyl records, or nesting dolls for your nightstand, an appropriate piece of merchandise exists for every one of us — especially if you’re vinyl-minded. Between the White Stripes, the Raconteurs, the Dead Weather, and his recent solo work, the world of Jack White merchandise is wide and weird. These are 10 of the weirdest. Dig in.

Their list:
1. White Stripes Triple Inchophone + 3" Records
2. Jack White "Freedom at 21" Helium Balloon Flexi Vinyl
3. White Stripes Mini Thermin
4. White Stripes Kilts + Balmoral + Kilt Hose + Can Crest Pin
5. White Stripes Sewing Kit
6. Dead Weather Triple Decker 12" + 7" Records
7. Raconteurs Stylophone
8. Jack White Holga Camera
9. Jack White – "Sixteen Saltines” Blue Liquid-Filled 12" With Playable Etching
10. White Stripes Vinyl "Starter Kit" Smorgasbord

I'm sure collectors here could add a few items to that list...

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Note to mods: I wasn't sure whether to put this here or in the TMR merch section.
Please feel free to move it if needed, and/or close it down or delete it when the trolls start crapping all over it.
Thanks. :-]

[12stars]

n/a

[DeeBee]

^ Good additions. I must have missed the kaleidoscope, I don't recall that. I don't remember the TWS sewing kit, either. The go-karts are like the ultimate limited edition thing, I guess.

A radio-controlled, miniature scale model of the Rolling Record Store would be cool; but unlikely.
(It could even play a low-fi song or three, like the Wanda Jackson greeting card gatefold album cover did.)

[TheHen0]

sewing kit?

[DeeBee]

sewing kit?

That's what Stereogum called it. It's just buttons and thread, maybe a needle too:
http://stereogum.com/1059881/jack-white ... 288714858/

I wonder if any of them came from the pearly king and queen costumes. Or did those get auctioned off or something?

[rsimms3]

[Grimtale]

My favorite is the breast implant signed by Elvira and stamped TMR given away at Devils Night.
Grim

[7th_son]

Wow, we've been mentioned on a few music news sites in the past while. They even direct to the database for the Racs Soap (hi Jimmy!) and the balsa plane.

[theeradicaleclectic]

I started a thread just like this last year with a serious set of suggestions of what might be some more items that could be added to the TMR prize list and, amongst other things displayed, my first suggestion was one of those 'viewmaster' gizmos including a series of slide wheels for each of the albums and maybe even like a 'tour of TMR' or a 'tour of Nashville' or maybe features for each of the bands on the label



im sure you can imagine what happened to me when i dared to start such a conversation in a place that once seemed very open to creativity... it turned into a magical world of friskies youtube cat commercial bitch fest of offtopic slag heep proportions that got locked down in a day or so

that having been said... i like the idea that someone sees the value in the oddity of this discussion but... shouldnt it really be in the Merch discussion area?

[DeeBee]

I started a thread just like this last year with a serious set of suggestions of what might be some more items that could be added to the TMR prize list and, amongst other things displayed, my first suggestion was one of those 'viewmaster' gizmos including a series of slide wheels for each of the albums and maybe even like a 'tour of TMR' or a 'tour of Nashville' or maybe features for each of the bands on the label

I like that idea, fwiw; that would be a very cool item to have. But if they did that, they should make sure to have plenty of slide wheels to make it worthwhile getting the viewer. If there were only one slide wheel per album, that's only about ten wheels. Then add in a TMR tour wheel, and maybe also one for acts associated with TMR - it might work.

i like the idea that someone sees the value in the oddity of this discussion but... shouldnt it really be in the Merch discussion area?

Maybe. Like I said, the mods can move it if they want. I put it here because the stereogum article cited was not about a specific item of merchandise, but more along the lines of "that crazy Jack White, look what kinds of odd stuff he's done" kind of article. But whether folks want to use this thread to list their own favorite "odd" merch items, or whether they would like to use it to come up with ideas for potential new items - whatever, it's all good.

Does anyone have a picture link to the TMR kaleidoscope? I did a google image search and got nothing.

(Oh, I see that 12stars has now removed their list of merch items that included a kaleidoscope.
So I assume that there was no such thing. I would put it on a list of cool ideas/suggestions though.)


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Add: In the comments on stereogum somebody mentioned a small picture viewer that TWS gave away at a show they did with The Flaming Lips. The comments also linked to a listing on this very forum:
http://whiteswirl.com/index.php?action= ... &view=info

So it might not be too strange if they decided to do a bigger version of that, like the View-master thing. But I'm not sure where they would get hold of the viewers; I imagine those have long been discontinued. Or maybe not:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/View-Master

It sounds like they're marketing them as toys now, and they've designed new product lines recently: "the View-Master 3-D Pocket Viewer, which feature images of popular performers in concert and backstage." One condsideration, if it's three-dimensional stereo imagery, that means that any photos would need to be shot with a stereo camera, or else the image would not look like 3D. Between that and the need to work with the View-master company for a license to make the things, it might get tricky. But it sure would be cool.

[vitamin3]

are the kilts real? who sold them?

[dylnfan]

are the kilts real? who sold them?

Sold via the WS website. Had a red one for a long time...alas, I sold it in pursuit of a more well rounded purchase.

[7th_son]

are the kilts real? who sold them?

Also available at the merch stand in Glace Bay 2007.

[Kaber]

are the kilts real? who sold them?

The kilts were made in Nova Scotia.
They are a thinner material than a traditional Scottish kilt
and slightly shorter

[vitamin3]

that's so sweet. i need to start looking on ebay for that one.