Merchandise Spotlight-Galileo's Thermometer (1,026 words)
At the turn of the 17th century, Italian inventor Galileo Galilei discovered that a change in temperature affects the buoyancy of liquid, giving rise to the invention of a crude thermometer. Fast forward about 400 years, and Galileo's "thermoscope" is now available to the masses, sold as a work of art and science to grace our homes and offices. Today's version consists of a clear glass cylinder, filled with a clear, temperature-sensitive liquid and glass globes filled with colored liquids, each with a numbered tag to display the temperature.
Galileo's thermometer is difficult to describe, let alone image, in a catalog. Following, you will find descriptions of how six different catalogers solved the puzzle of how to turn a glass tube filled with liquid into one of the hottest gift items of the 1998 holiday season.
Plow and Hearth
The Plow and Hearth catalog, as its name implies, features home products, with some apparel, food and gardening equipment thrown in. The catalog creates a warm, "homey" atmosphere, with products that make your house a home— equipment for the fireplace, so you can have a roaring fire; flannel bedding for a cozy bed; and soup to warm your belly on a cold day.
Galileo's Thermometer is included on a page with bird clocks and prints, and is positioned as a useful yet beautiful instrument for telling the temperature. Plow and Hearth's spin on Galileo's Thermometer: This is both a work of art and science; it will be a beautiful and useful addition to your home. It features a tabletop and wall-mount 18˝ thermometer and as well as a tabletop 25˝ version.
The Edge Company
The Edge Company Catalog features scads of interesting gadgets and tools, such as the world's smallest remote control, a sheet of $2 bills and Galileo's Thermometer. As its name implies, The Edge catalog showcases cutting-edge products.
