Metronome
Founded in 1895 by Gustav Wittner, Wittner manufactures musical accessories such as tuning forks, string accessories and stands, but is mostly known for its metronomes.
Bowl
Designed in 1953 by material researcher and civil engineer Herbert Krenchel, the iconic Krenit bowl is a perfect example of good Danish design.
Chair (upholstered)
Eero Saarinen (1910-1961) was the son of famous architect and Cranbrook Academy of Art Director Eliel Saarinen. After studying sculpture in Paris and architecture at Yale, Saarinen returned to Cranbrook.
Compass
Founded in 1895 by David W. Brunton and William Ainsworth, Brunton, Inc. is a manufacturer of technical gear for outdoor activity.
Mandoline (Japanese)
Founded in 1945 by Uyuki Yamamoto, who invented a new radish slicer, Benriner is the manufacturer and inventor of the original ‘Japanes mandolin’.
Harmonica
Founded in 1857 by Matthias Hohner, Hohner is a German manufacturer of musical instruments, mostly know for their harmonicas and accordions.
Jelly shoes
Jelly shoes, named after their jelly-like sheen, are shoes made of PVC plastic. The exact origins of the jelly shoes are unclear.
Cocktail shaker
Founded in 1921 by Giovanni Alessi, Alessi is a manufacturer of housewares and kitchen utensils, mostly known for their dreadful ‘designer’ objects.
Binoculars
Founded in 1949 by Wilhelm Swarovski, son of Daniel Swarovski, founder of Swarovski crystal (est. 1895), Swarovski Optik KG is the manufacturer of world’s most iconic binoculars.
Ring (engagement)
Founded in 1837 by Charles Lewis Tiffany and John B. Young as a ‘stationery and fancy goods’ store, Tiffany & Co is a luxury jewelry retailer.
Sewing awl
Originally designed in 1909 by Francis Stewart, the Speedy Stitcher is a hand tool that can be used to sew and repair heavy materials such as leather, canvas or vinyl.
Towel
Founded in 1850 by Henry Christy, Christy is the manufacturer of the finest towels in the world.
Vacuum jug
Founded in 1958 by Niels Stellan Høm and Carton Madelaire, Stelton is a Danish design company, best known for producing stainless steel tableware.
Boots (chukka)
Chukka boots are open-laced, ankle-high suede boots. The essential chukka’s are unlined, with two to three pairs of eyelets, and have thin leather soles and rounded toes.
Lighter (fuel)
Founded in 1907 by Julius Meister as a button factory, Imco is recognized as the first lighter company to have truly developed a modern cigarette lighter.
Dining table
Trained as a craftsman in wrought iron, Jean Prouvé opened his own workshop ‘Ateliers Jean Prouvé’ in 1923.
Bicycle repair kit
Founded in 1881 by Louis Wijnberg as a glue factory, Simson today makes the most iconic bicycle repair kit.
Fragrance (Men’s III)
Founded in 1730 by Juan Famenias Floris, Floris of London is the oldest retailer of fragrances in the UK, located on Jermyn Street.
Whistle (referee)
Founded in the 1860s by toolmaker Joseph Hudson, J Hudson & Co Ltd. is a manufacturer of whistles, trading under the Acme Whistles brand name.
Drum kit
Founded in 1883 by Friedrich Gretsch, Gretsch is one of the most prominent manufacturers of drum kits.
Kitchen
Founded in 1949 by Martin Bulthaup, Bulthaup is a German luxury kitchen manufacturer, mostly known for its emphasis on design.
Soda syphon
Founded in 1896 as Aerators Ltd., Sparklets makes the most iconic soda syphons in the world. Sparklets came up with a gas bulb that could add bubbles to still water.
Bicycle (dutch)
Founded in 1892 by Willem Kölling and Rudolf Arentsen, Royal Dutch Gazelle is the most iconic bicycle manufacturer in the Netherlands.
Vase (glass)
Designed in 1936 by Finnish designer Alvar Aalto as an entry in a design competition for the Karhula-Iittala glassworks factory, the iconic Alvar Aalto Vase is one of the most famous glass pieces in history.
Stove
Founded in 1908 by Albert Dupuy, La Cornue is a French manufacturer of top of the range stoves. Their first oven was called Rôtisseuse-Pâtissiere La Cornue, which ran on a new type of gas that was used in Paris.
Hacksaw
Founded in 1911 by James Neill, Eclipse makes the world’s frost iconic hacksaw. In 1889, James Neill patented composite steel and registered his products under the Eclipse trademark in 1909.
Men’s shoes (double monk strap)
Founded in 1866 by John Lobb, John Lobb Bootmaker Ltd. is a manufacturer of luxury shoes and boots for men.
Chef’s knife
Founded in 1814 by Johann Abraham Wüsthof as a shears factory, Wüsthof is a knife-maker based in Solingen, known for its high quality products.
Bracelet
Founded in 1896 by Alfred Van Cleef and Salomon Arpels, Van Cleef & Arpels is a prestigious Parisian jewelry company whose pieces have been worn by style icons.
Yo-yo
Founded in the 1920s by Filipino Pedro Flores as the Flores Yo-Yo Company, Duncan is the manufacturer of the world’s most iconic yo-yo.
Petroleum jelly
Vaseline was introduced in 1872 by Robert Chesebrough who visited the oilfields in Pennsylvania and discovered a healing substance in oil rig pumps, petroleum jelly.
Tennis racket
Founded in 1875 by Pierre Babolat, Babolat is a French tennis, badminton, and squash equipment company, best known for its strings and tennis racquets which are used by several top players.
Bicycle lock (ring)
Founded in 1902 by G.H. van Leeuwen as Veenendaalsche IJzerfabriek, AXA Stenman is a leading manufacturer of home and bike security products.
Jeans
Founded in 1853 by Levi Strauss as a dry goods business, Levi Strauss & Co. is known worldwide for its denim jeans.
Bikini
Founded in 1968 by Irene Leroux, Eres is a luxury brand of swimwear and lingerie, credited for having changed the concept of modern swimwear
Bookcase (room divider)
Charlotte Perriand (1903–1999) was a French architect and designer, mostly known for the furniture designs she created with Le Corbusier and Pierre Jeanneret.
Volleyball
Volleyball was created in 1895 by William G. Morgan, who wanted to combine elements of basketball, baseball, handball and tennis into one sport.
Sander
Founded in 1925 by Gottlieb Stoll and Albert Fezer as Fezer & Stoll, Festool manufactures superior quality electric and pneumatic tools for professional users.
Baby carrier
Founded in 1961 by Björn Jakobson, Babybjörn is a Swedish manufacturer of baby products, best known for its baby carriers.
Sandals (capri)
Founded in 1946 by Amedeo Canfora, Canfora makes the most iconic strappy flat sandals, the so called ‘Capri sandals’, and is still run by the Canfora family today.
Tea towel
Founded in 1807 by Henricus van den Acker, Van den Acker is one of the few Dutch weaving mills that successfully serves the worldwide market with its own collections. At this moment the sixth generation runs the company.
Dining table (round)
Eero Saarinen (1910–1961), son of influential architect and head of the Cranbrook Academy of Art Eliel Saarinen, was a famous architect and industrial designer known for his neofuturistic style.
Clamp
Founded in 1889 by Max Bessey in Stuttgart as a bright steel drawing plant, Bessey Tool GmbH & Co. KG is one of the largest hand tool clamp manufacturers in the world.
Smoking (tuxedo)
Founded in 1806 by James Poole in Brunswick Square, as a shop specialized in military tailoring, Henry Poole & Co today is a gentleman’s bespoke tailor.
Candle
Founded in 1643 by Claude Trudon, Cire Trudon is the oldest wax-producing factory in the world. It was the provider of the royal court of Louis XIV.
Paint (acrylic)
Founded in 1963 by Alois K. Diethelm, Lascaux has become one of the world’s leading manufacturers of water-based artists’ colours and products used for restoration.
Frisbee
Founded in 1948 by Richard Knerr and Arthur Melin, Wham-O Inc. is a toy company known for marketing popular toys such as the Hula Hoop, the Frisbee, the Slip ‘N Slide, the Hacky Sack and the Boogie Board.
Tie (seven fold)
Founded in 1914 by Eugenio Marinella, E. Marinella is an Italian necktie company, specialized in hand cut and sewn seven fold ties.
Stopwatch
Founded in 1882 by Johann A. Hanhart, Hanhart is a Swiss-German watch company, specialized in chronographs and stopwatches.
Shuttlecock
Founded in 1928 in London as Reinforced Shuttlecocks Ltd., RSL Badminton is a professional badminton equipment provider.