Exquisitely crafted from eight rare aromatic woods by the Canadian grandson of a wooden shoe maker, this loving homage to the Egyptians promises spiritual well-being.

The geometry of John Wiggers’ Pyramid Keepsake Box is based on a mathematical principle commonly known as the Divine Proportion, ”discovered” by Leonardo Fibonacci in the thirteenth century. One of the building blocks of all life on earth – immortalized in Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Vitruvian Man”, central to the structure of the DNA molecule, and the basis for proportion and growth in plant and animal life – the Divine Proportion determined the exact specifications of Egypt’s Great Pyramids of Giza (almost 4,000 years before Fibonacci).

John has used different woods to construct his Pyramid, some with thousands of years of traditional healing history. The pinnacle has been sculpted from a single block of Amboyna (from the very first trees sustainably harvested in the Solomon Islands), capped with a special formulation of 22k gold leaf (blended with the traditional healing metals of sterling silver and pure copper). In the second level, a concave recess has been carved into a block of rare Hawthorn, a holistic wood that produces complex compounds that, dating back 5,000 years, herbalists believed could alleviate stress and strengthen the heart. The centre level contains a removable divider of Sassafras, a wood that releases particles each time the tray is exposed to air, said to promote well-being and clearer thinking. The floor of the compartment is lined with black Tuscany leather. The lower level features four removable trays, each made of a species of Black Walnut that some Native Americans believe prevents disease – simply touching this wood releases molecules that can be absorbed into the skin.

Take a closer look at Pyramid, a Keepsake Box by John Wiggers here »

With these handmade sterling silver chopsticks (inspired by a toucan’s bill), a Ugandan-born, Helsinki-based designer cleverly fuses a 3000-year-old eastern eating instrument with contemporary flair, exclusive to 66degrees.com.

In a stroke of inspiration, Lincoln Kayiwa has created sterling silver chopsticks with a perfect grip. Held like traditional chopsticks, Tukaani is ultra-functional and environmentally friendly, made from one continuous piece of sterling silver, looped around to form a tong-like device. The loop is key to the function of the design, and can be used to hang, store and display the chopsticks. Unlike disposable wooden chopsticks, Tukaani is hand washable and much easier to use, with a matte surface and taut movement that allow steady grip. Each Tukaani contains an estimated 90 grams of sterling silver. Tukaani is sold as a set of four.

Take a closer look here »

Ecofriend, a blog that specializes in finding and showcasing the absolute best of green and eco-friendly living, took special note of Bill Sorich’s Armadillo Barbecue, hailing it as “lavishly green” and “a unique piece of art". We certainly agree, and are thrilled with the praise for Bill and his one-of-a-kind barbecue from the online Green community.

You can read Ecofriend’s posting in its entirety here.

Momoy.com, a site that brings the very best to the attention of home décor and gardening enthusiasts, couldn’t have been more profuse in their praise of South African designer Tsai’s Zigzag Coffee Table, exclusively available at 66degrees.com. Taking note that he has “cleverly combined artistic sensibility and space saving awareness", Momoy further states that, with its unique and minimalist design, Zigzag is “perfect to furnish the contemporary interior”.

You can view the entire posting from Momoy.com here.

Studio G, a classy and stylish blog created by Rochelle Greayer, is dedicated “to sharing landscape ideas, hotel resort and spa gardens, outdoor art and design (and) the latest in landscape products and services.” Rochelle calls Bill Sorich’s Armadillo Babecue “the perfect Christmas gift for the person who has it all”.

We agree. You can read Rochelle’s post here.

Sublime Things, written by Montreal blogger Kristian Andersen, attempts to “showcase things in the cultural landscape with a fresh/avantgarde sensibility…often with a melancholic, dry, conceptual and intellectual skew.” 66degrees.com is thrilled that Kristian considers as “sublime” Niki Kavakonis’ Cracked Ice II ring and Sergio Silva’s Oyule lamps.

You can read Kristian’s Cracked Ice post here.

66degrees.com is getting more global all the time, and we are thrilled with this wonderful writeup from Mumbai, India-based blogger Vineeta Nair and her blog artnlight. Vineeta, who posts on “all that inspires me and makes me happy”, thought “this is stuff I MUST share.” And so she did!

Thanks Vineeta! You can read her post here.

66degrees.com continues to increase its global exposure with this great write-up from one of Sweden’s hottest design blogs, Hemfeber. Lotta Madetoja writes “66degrees is a design gallery where they exhibit interesting design objects from different places and periods of time….It is their intention is to act as a network and a meeting place where collectors, designers and other interested parties will be able to check out and buy/sell interesting items. People who work with 66degrees are spread across virtually the entire world and hope that in this way they be able to offer a global diversity of design products and items. Exciting work, I say!”

Thanks Lotta! You can read Hemfeber’s full review (in Swedish)here.

From exposed traditional joinery to strong geometric form, this Australian contemporary furniture maker has considered every angle to create this singular Jarrah wood table.

It takes confidence in your craft to display the assembly of your work on the outside. For Martin Davis, it’s his trademark – his furniture spotlights the corners and joints.

The extremely hard wood used to create the Box Table was hand chosen to endure for generations. The exotic Jarrah used in the table, found only in the southwest region of Australia, and the conspicuous Victorian Ash finger joints (chosen for their contrasting colours and incredible strength) have both been reclaimed from old objects. The two boxes comprising the table top are “stitched” together in a whimsical, questioning, and celebratory reference to craft. The structure of the table and the rigidity of the boxes are intended to highlight the phenomenal strength of the native Australian timbers.

Take a closer look here »

Martin and Stanislav Zampach live up to the Czech reputation for glass working excellence with this eye-catching glass plate, a blend of soft flowing form, extreme precision, and striking colour.

Corporations and collectors all over the world have sought after Martin Zampach’s strikingly detailed designs, beautifully executed by his father Stanislav. Their glasses, plates, and crystal work have appeared in international lines in Germany, Italy, Japan and more. From their ‘34Design’ line, the Four Nipples Plate Black is created by melting flat glass (with a metallic coat on one side) into a ceramic mold with a specially prepared surface, giving the glass its signature rippled look.

Take a closer look here »

Anne Harwell’s Florida-based bog, Annechovie, had nice things to say about what 66degrees.com is trying to do: “66degrees is an online business that carries unique and functional pieces of art made by artists and designers that are scattered all over the globe. They have a unique tactic for finding the best the world has to offer - there are five of them in five different countries, on four different continents (their C.E.O. Rick is at their head office in Canada, Claudio is now in Romania, Karen is in the States and Ryan and Stephen divide their time between Central and South America) so they can be more ‘global’ in their search to find new and talented artists and designers!

Going global has obviously produced some great results and those who visit their website get to reap the benefits"!

You can read Annechovie’s post here.

More than three months after we introduced it, Sergio Silva’s Oyule lamp set continues to turn heads.

Green Upgrader, with three contributors known for their brains, brawn, and beauty, sets out to “help you along your journey to being Green, (bringing) you interesting and novel products and ideas that can help you live Greener". We loved the site. You can read their story on Oyule here.

Congratulations Sergio !

Sze Li’s Design Jazz blog, which states right up front that “Design makes or breaks a product", had nice words to say about Tsai’s ZigZag table: “Who says tables need to be all square with four legs? I saw this interesting table design that looks like a Chinese room divider. I like this table as it looks like it is made from a piece of material by folding it. Hmm, innovative approach to making this wacky but functional table".

Design Jazz’ story on the ZigZag coffee table, by Tsai Design Studio, is here.

Our friend Eleanor at 3daintyDELIGHTS, who has been a fan of 66degrees.com and its artists for some time, had lots to say about us, much nicer than we probably deserve. She got our “mission” spot on: “66degrees is ‘an online art/design gallery, a social network for collectors of art and design, a springboard for artists and designers, and a high-end store where people have the opportunity to research and purchase limited-edition and one-of-a-kind pieces.’

‘Not only conceptually is 66degrees cool, but the products that they offer are pretty phenomenal as well. I’m really into this new trend of creating a community out of consumerism….66degrees allows you to do that in the design and art world, in a way that would take some serious networking in any large marketplace, like Manhattan…On top of that you can network with buyers from around the world who share your similar taste in design, and interest in art. I’m excited to see how this company expands, not only their inventory of artists and creations, but services as well’.

Eleanor, thank you. Check out her post here.

Lovingly crafted from exceptional woods rescued from destruction, by the grandson of a Japanese-American master craftsman, each of these occasional tables “speaks” to you.

Satoru Amagasu’s furniture creations blend a prized family history in woodworking with a passion for the environment. What makes Ru’s Tensei occasional tables so unique is that his exceptional woods come from trees slated to be destroyed. Because of storms, disease, proximity to homes, or simply old age, these trees came down. Instead of becoming firewood or ground into mulch, they are crafted into exquisite furniture, giving these trees, in his grandfather’s words, “a second life”. Ru says, “We oversee the entire process from the tree being taken down, milling them into slabs, drying them, and then designing and manufacturing furniture so that they can live again”.

Take a closer look here »

Nothing at 66degrees.com has generated as much buzz as Sergio Silva’s Oyule lamp set. We’ll let you do the research yourself.

From Australia, the story in Jeremy Hall’s nnnrrrrbbbbbttttssss.net.au blog ("quite clever") is here.

In Spanish, the post in the Kikades blog ("El concepto es original y divertidois") is here.

From Italy (or Istanbul, we’re not sure which) Design 4 2day’s post is here.

From Silicon Valley, Jina Bolton’s Sushi and Robots blog post is here.

Interiors etc’s story ("These clever lamps would be so nice for an outdoor dinner party. Aren’t they pretty?") is here.

Tastemaker’s Society, for “folks that aren’t scared to think outside the box or dare to be different", had this to say.

In Russian, the Internirussia.ru blog’s story is here.

And in Chinese and Japanese, too many to list….

Australia’s celebrated Ian Lyell presents an exquisite lamp, crafted from the world’s finest terra cotta, that can stand up to anything nature can throw at it.

Terra cotta is arguably the world’s oldest medium for art – for 5000 years, artisans from Greece to Asia and Latin America have been crafting objects from terra cotta. Honouring this tradition, Australian landscape designer Ian Lyell has crafted the Caspo Liscio outdoor lamp. Beginning with materials imported from Florence, the distinct shape and colour is achieved by blending signature pigments to create the non-porous grey finish. Caspo Liscio has been specifically created to withstand heat, cold, salt, and, at 44 pounds, winds won’t be a problem. Caspo Liscio’s wide base, which features a stainless steel support, will prevent tipping, and the electrical system is fully insulated. The shade, which is available in cream or black, is constructed from “heavy duty” American solution-dyed acrylic upholstery to ensure its quality and shape can stand the outdoors with ease.

Take a closer look here »

Niki Kavakonis, one of our favourite designers here at 66degrees.com, was the subject of a major story in Canada’s largest-circulation newspaper recently, focussing on the uncut diamond in her Tip of the Iceberg ring. “A handmade copy of Kavakonis’s original will appear in The Nature of Diamonds, an exhibition organized by the American Museum of Natural History and set to open at the (Royal Ontario Museum) on Oct. 25. Kavakonis’ ring…is valued at nearly $10,000 and will appear alongside designs by the famed House of Boucheron, Cartier and Frank Gehry for Tiffany & Co".

66degrees.com offers Niki Kavakonis’ Cracked Ice II ring (pictured above) and Ode to the Right Angle bracelet, both impressive in themselves. You can read The Toronto Star’s story on Niki here.

Luxist, for those living or dreaming of living surrounded by the finer things in life, applauded the introduction of Barbara Barran’s new Luxe Collection. “Classic Rug has been known to provide custom decor to discerning interior designers and is perhaps best known for its collection of Gee’s Bend inspired rugs, which were formerly on exhibit at the Whitney Museum and will be part of a special exhibit this September at the Philadelphia Museum of Art". Of Bargello, Luxist says “Classic Rug has teamed with 66degrees.com to offer its limited edition Bargello rug…I love this juxtaposition of age-old pattern from one part of the world and age-old technique from another".

Luxist’s post on Barbara Barran’s new collection, including Bargello, is here.

This blog showed so much admiration for Patricia Baun’s work that they displayed much of it on their website. Always looking for “the latest and the greatest", If it’s Hip, it’s Here had this to say about Patricia: “When I first learned of…Patricia Baun, she simply had fabulous hand-painted canvas rugs…Those alone were worth a blog post. However, now the range has greatly expanded to include silk, flax and wool rugs, art prints, wall hangings and more– all graphic and colorful and unique".

If it’s Hip it’s Here saves the best for last (in our view): “And finally, she has just released this stunning rug, a collaboration with artist/designer Michael Staniszkis. Caaw is available exclusively at www.66degrees.com for a limited time. Only 20 will be created. Finished size is 8′x12′. Each will be hand-painted, signed and dated". You can Hip’s story here.