The Engine Rumbles to Life: Lambshead Cabinet of Curiosities Update

Power (hand)
Detail from one of the more disturbing pieces in Dr. Lambshead’s exhibit, by Scott Eagle, founder of the PMO (Primary Materials Only) Movement in international art circles. We are not at liberty to discuss the origin of the teeth.

Documentation and materials are beginning to arrive, suggesting the outlines of the extent of the doctor’s collection. Verified contents include:

—“The Very Shoe,” art by China Mieville, text by Helen Oyeyemi

—“Gallows-Horse,” art by China Mieville, text by Reza Negarestani

—“Dacey’s Patent Automatic Nanny,” art by Greg Broadmore, text by Ted Chiang

—“Addison Howell and the Clockroach,” art by Mike Mignola, text by Cherie Priest

—“St. Brendan’s Shank,” art by Greg Broadmore, text by Kelly Barnhill

—“Threads,” Carrie Vaughn, art by James Owen

—“A History of Dunkelblau’s Meistergarten,” Tad Williams, art by John Coulthart

This doesn’t include various accounts of visits to Lambshead’s house and encounters with the cabinet (although no two eyewitnesses seem to be able to agree on its contents, size, and location):

—“A Brief Note Pertaining to the Absence of One Olivaceous Cormorant, Stuffed” (Rachel Swirsky)

—“Dr. Lambshead’s Dark Room” (S.J. Chambers)

—“The Singular Taffy Puller” (N.K. Jemisin)

—“The Argument Against Louis Pasteur” (Mur Lafferty)

—“Inchoate Notes of a Lichenologist” (Ekaterina Sedia)

—“Dust” (Gio Clairval)

Meanwhile, Jake von Slatt, founder of the Steampunk Workshop, will soon be finished discovering two other items that went astray: a Chronoclasmic Inhibitor and Bassington & Smith Electro-Mechanical Analog Brain (“about as smart as the average house cat”). Rumor has it that he will ship these inventions to us and one of them may be entrusted to a lucky reader of the anthology.

In addition, items from the cabinet by artists Myrtle Vondamitz III and Rikki Ducornet definitely will be showcased in the book.

Finally, we would be remiss if we didn’t add that we have uncovered a portion of Lambshead’s cabinet, sent to the brilliant J.K. Potter prior to the doctor’s timely death. For repro in the book, Potter has been kind enough to photograph the part of the cabinet in his care. Here is a tiny dot of a detail of a preview of that evidence:

meep

7 comments on “The Engine Rumbles to Life: Lambshead Cabinet of Curiosities Update

  1. Larry says:

    You know it’s an early morning bit of weirdness when you look at the picture and think at first, “Oh! Those are some odd votary candle holders that have been used way too much!,” before reading the caption and realizing it is something completely different from that.

  2. redhead says:

    had the same exact experience as Larry. Excuse me, I need to go find some unicorns or something.

  3. Jeff VanderMeer says:

    They’re just dentures. :)

  4. Larry says:

    Still, wouldn’t dentures being converted into votary candle holders be an awesome thing to behold?

  5. Ben Jones says:

    “We are not at liberty to discuss the origin of the teeth.”

    Boy, if I had a nickel for every time I’d heard that one…

  6. Thanks, Jeff! I am thrilled to share my weird encounter with Dr. Lambshead.

Comments are closed.