Trying to remember a magazine/catalog

Back in the 80s, I think, i vaguely recall a magazine/catalog that had some fairly bizarre stuff in it. I seem to recall that it was set up as a catalog, but my recollection was that the things in it were science fiction sort of items. I read a reference to The Whole Earth catalog, and my fractured memory went “ping!” But when i looked it up, that doesn’t seem like what i remember. For some reason, I associate this catalog with omni magazine. That may be a temporal association, though, in that i got the catalog around the same time. I was a kid at the time, so it’s possible that the cool stuff i almost remember want really that cool, or that the catalog itself was all just concept stuff and not real. Maybe the whole earth catalog really is what I’m remembering. I don’t remember a particularly ecological focus though.

Why, yes, i could vague this up some more. But I’m hoping someone can say yes, that’s the WEC, or no, that sounds like <whatever>.

Anyone know what it might be?

Archie McPhee?

https://www.pyramidcollection.com/ …?

Edmund Scientific, in Barrington NJ?

American Science and Surplus, maybe.

https://www.sciplus.com/CatalogRequest

All good suggestions! And all ones i remember. But alas, not the fantastical one that is tickling my brain.

Thanks though! I’ll have to revisit those and explore.

Hi, raventhief:

What you’ve described sounds like The Fringes of Reason: A Whole Earth Catalog. If it’s not, I hope it turns out to be one of those books you didn’t know you wanted!

Peace.

Hammacher Schlemmer? My brother used to get their catalogs in the 80s and the whole family would read it cover to cover and pass it on.

If it’s not what you’re thinking of, you can always buy yourself a life size T-rex skeleton or a hot tub boat.

I’m gonna guess the OP is remembering a DAK catalog: I know I sure do miss them.

Correction! I used to miss them! Thanks to the OP cause I doubt I’d have looked up DAK; I thought I knew what had happened to the company but turns out Mr. Kaplan kept on keepin’ on.

We got those, and I remember them as being somewhat bewildering because we were poor and rural. Couldn’t tell whether they were crap or whether they were good stuff for “rich” people. Weren’t going to buy anything in either case.

These are all awesome and i am happily browsing:)

I think i might be remembering a specific issue of omni. Looks like they had a supplemental issue called the whole universe catalog - id have to see it to figure out of that’s what I’m thinking of. But i am loving all the suggestions!

Sharper Image? Not all of their stuff could be called sci-fi but they did advertise in Omni.

Things You Never Knew Existed. Not all sci fi related, but has a lot of sci fi and other unusual things.