Hi CUBE-LOVERS,

I am a "collector" of Rubik's cubes and other magic polyhedra. As a
collector I am not only interested in the puzzles themselves but also
in the literature about them, the packaging of them and the
merchandise/events that traded on the popularity of the cube. Below
is a crude taxonomy with items I have identified. I would appreciate
criticism of the taxonomy and additions to the specific items .
Also, if anybody has or knows where to obtain any items of this genre
please let me know. Since I am not personally a collector of most
books, articles or solution algorithms about the cube (Bandelow, Helm,
Singmaster, et al are doing that) please do not provide citations
unless they are especially noteworthy.

TAXONOMY for RUBIK'S CUBE ITEMS (5/26/88 REV)

0.  CUBE PATENTS
0.1  US PATENT#3,081,089,  william Gustafson, 1958
0.2  Frank Fox, 1970
0.3  US PATENT#  , LARRY Nichols, 1972  
0.4  HUGARIAN PATENT, ERNO RUBIK, 1975
0.5  JAPANESE PATENT,  Terutoshi Ishige, 1976

1. RUBIKOID PUZZLES - see photo on page 138/139 of "PUZZLES OLD &
NEW" (PON) by Jerry Slocum & Jack Botermans

2. CUBE EPHEMERA -
2.1 ADVERTISING -
2.1.1 counter display boxes; I have for 20mm keychain size cubes and
for the 3x3x3, Rubik's Revenge, Alexander's Star, and Missing Link ITC
solution books.
2.1.2 CATALOGS & FLYERS
2.1.2.1 BANDELOW'S CATALOG
2.1.2.2 MEFFERT'S FLYERS
2.2 PACKAGING -
2.2.1 cardboard diplay box used by ITC for original cube shrink
wrapped
2.2.2 clear plastic display cylindrical dome for black plastic base
used by ITC for DELUXE cube
2.3 ANNOUNCEMENTS OF CUBE RELATED EVENTS, EG, CONTESTS, CONFERENCES,
2.3.1 A contest announcement -> BUDAPEST INTERNATIONAL - HAVE A GO
WITH RUBIK, CHALLENGE THE WORLD CHAMPION, it also has a photo Rubik
holding a cube and one of Singmaster wearing a cube T-shirt; OBTAINED
FROM DAVID SINGMASTER
2.3.2 1987 (11/18-11/28) puzzle exhibition (expsoition casse-tete) by
Marcel Gillen & Carlo Gitt in Luxembourg

3. BOOKS - not my area of interest

4. ARTICLES - not my area of interest

5. CLUBS/NEWSLETTERS/MUSEUM/EXHIBITS
5.1 On April 29, 1988 a museum devoted to Rubik's cube opened in
Grand Junction, CO. The museum is run by Cecil Smith and is
located in his home at 329 Ouray Ave; 245-6734. REFERENCE: The
front page of the May 1, 1988 issue of the Grand Junction, Co Daily
Sentinel (Vol 96, No 153).Press release of opening
5.2 Wally Webster's exhibit in Kirkland, WA. Press release of

6. SOLUTION ALGORITHMS INCLUDING COMPUTER PROGRAMS
6.1 A 33RPM LP record with a solution to the cube: "How to Solve the
Cube Puzzle", The Marko Van Eckelen's Method - Guiness 36 second
record holder; Gateway Records (GSLP-4506)^), GENCOM INC, POB 5087,
FDR STATION, NY, NY 10150
6.2 COMPUTER PROGRAMS
6.2.1 cartridge for RADIO SHACK TRS-80 microcomputer called "COLOR
CUBES"; sold with the cartridge, book, and keyboard cover.

7. PRETTY PATTERNS

8. CUBE ACCESSORIES -
8.1 REPLACEMENT STICKERS
8.1.1 cube covers; PON
8.1.2 CUbe Mates (Cinderella Co., POB 265, Skykesville, MD 21784) is a
set of 54 lettered stickers to put on your cube in order to play word
games; CC# 5&6, pg 5
8.1.3 (Eidolon LTD, Vancouver V6B 3X9); a) computer font numbers,
b) solid silver foil
8.1.4 (Steven Mfg Co, Hermann MO 65041); large selection
8.2 REPAIR/BUILD-A-CUBE KIT; PON

9.  FAN ITEMS  -  

9.1 DECALS -
9.1.1 An oval shaped 5"x3" decal with a picture of the cube in the
center, saturn on the left, earth on the right and written at the top
is "I do the cube" and at the bottom "RUBIK'S CUBE CLUB"; OBTAINED
FROM DAVID SINGMASTER in 1986
9.1.2 A sticker of the cube approximately 1 1/2" by SANDYLION, 340
Alden road, Markham, Ontarion, Canada L3R 4C1, 416/475-0554.
9.2 A thin rubberized magnet approximately 1 1/2".
9.3 CAR STRIPS - A car strip (goes on inside of window) that says
'CUBISTS DO IT IN 52 MOVES"; OBTAINED FROM DAVID SINGMASTER in 1986
9.4 BUMPER STICKERS
9.5 BUTTONS- I "heart" Rubik's cube & buttons with sayings and
pictures of cubes from Singmaster in 1986; PON
9.6 Hungarian POSTAGE STAMP & FIRST DAY COVER (6/4/82), PON &CC# 5&6,
pg 28
9.7 CLOTHING -
9.7.1 A childs Tee shirt with a picture of a cube above which is
written 'RUBIK'S CUBE"; OBTAINED FROM DAVID SINGMASTER in 1986
9.7.2 A mans necktie; black with a cube on it; PON
9.7.3 A childs halloween costume, size large (12-14), fits an 8-10
year old, from Collegeville Flag & MFG Co., Collegville, PA 19426 (I
have some for trade)
9.7.4 Sew on patch from ITC cube club; PON
9.8 Ink stamp - I have a rubber ink pad stamp of a cube
9.9 POSTER OF THE JIGSAW PUZZLE
9.10 CUBE IN BOTTLE; PON
9.11 CUBE SMASHER; PON
9.12 UTILITARIAN ITEMS TRADING ON CUBE -
9.121 COASTERS - A set of coasters to put glasses on: Six 3"x3"
lucite pieces with 9 silk screened squares each colored one of the
colors of a cube, comes in a lucite holder and is called "Cubics
Coasters in Six Winning Colors", a quality product from Caryl Craig
Studios, c 1982, Box 2221 Sepulveda, CA 91343 (I got mine from Greg
Stevens in 1987)
9.12.2 PENCILS with I "heart" Rubik's cube printed on them; PON
9.12.3 SHOELACES in both 27" & 40" lengths made in Taiwan for
Goodties of LA, CA. Imprinted with a solution algorithm (Greg Stevens
has for trade)
9.12.4 LUNCH BOXES
9.12.5 BOOK BAGS - I have a red canvas briefcase type bag
9.12.6 COFFEE CUPS
9.12.6.1 "IT'S A Mugs GAme", plain white mug with decals pasted on
One says " IT'S A Mugs GAme", another is of a mixed cube, and another
is of a cube at start. Mug made in UK; CC#3&4, PG11 (I got mine from
Bandelow in 1988)
9.12.7 NOTE PADS; CC#3&4, PG11
9.12.8 ERaser - I have 1" cube rubber pencil eraser
9.12.9 Duvet (comforter) cover; Amsterdam; CC# 5&6, pg 5
9.12.10 Greeting card, HALLMARK "150B 905-3" bought in 1988; HAPPY
BIRTHDAY, SON; has a picture of a cat in a checkered sweater holding
a cube like item in one hand with a saying "a little bit of genius".
9.12.11 Hot plate - white ceramic tile with a decal pasted on (BR is
registered mark). The picture is of a women sitting on a mixed cube
thinking of how to solve the cube. The floor is littered with paper
notes of failed solution attempts. Tile is german, decal ? (I got
mine from Bandelow in 1988)
9.13 GAMES/TOYS -
9.13.1 Jigsaw puzzles
9.13.1.1 "Cube Twister", BOX COVER a single 9x9x9 cube; PON
9.13.1.2 "Cube Twister", box cover has many cubes;
one version has "rubik's cube" as part of box markings other does not
but it has a disclaimer denying any connection with ITC or Rubik
9.13.1.3 "RUBIK'S ZIG ZAW PUZZLE" from ITC
9.13.2 Rubik's Race a board game, ITC, CC#3&4, PG 8
9.13.3 Rubik's Challenge/Mill "GAME" is a tic-tac-toe variant played
on the surface of a cube, ITC; CC#3&4, PG 8
9.13.4 "Color Match" a color card strategy board game marketed by
ITC, does not use a cube. Object of game is to match colored squares
in a 3x3 grid, like doing one side of a cube.

10. CULTURAL IMPACT
10.1 MUSIC
10.1.1 "Mr. Rubik" recorded by the Barron Knights and released by
Epic as a single EPC A 1596 and on the LP
10.1.2 "TRICK IN THE MIDDLE" by Bea Muszty and Andras Dobay: Start
Records SP5 70537; CC#3&4, PG 2
10.1.3 "The Cube" by Mike Brady and the Cubettes, australian, has a
video clip with dancers; CC#3&4, PG 2
10.2 POETRY
10.2.1 "A Rubric on Rubik Cubics" by Claude Shannon; 1st mention
CC#3&4, PG 2 - printed in CC# 7&8, pg 36
10.3 APPEARANCE IN ADVERTISEMENTS/MOVIES -
10.3.1 movies - MOONSTRUCK
10.3.2 cartoon strips
10.3.3 POLITICAL CARTOONS
10.3.3.1 NY Daily News Sunday magazine section of 2/7/88 cartoon by
Jeff MacNelly called "I.R.S. TAX REFORM CUBE", frustrated looking
person holding a cube that has IRS type things written on it in place
of stickers.
10.3.4 crossword puzzles
10.3.5 ARVEY paper & supplies, 3351 West Addison, Chicago, IL 60618
used pictures of cube in their April 1988 sales flyer whose theme was
an "AMAZING SALE"
10.4 TV SHOWS ABOUT (Greg Stevens has a tape of 10.4.3-10.4.5 for
trade)
10.4.1 BBC TV appearance by Rubik and Nicholas Hammond (a cube
solver) on Swap-Shop 24 January 81, CC#1, pg 15
10.4.2 NBC TV show "That's Incredible" covered the US speed
championship which took place on 13 November 1981 and was aired on 7
December 1981. Minh Thai won with a time of 26.04 seconds. CC#2, pg
4
10.4.3 Interview with Rubik on the TV show "the Rich & Famous"
10.4.4 Episode ?? of "Night Court" TV show with Bull Shannon playing
with cube.
10.4.5 An RC Cola TV commercial that uses a 4x4x4 cube as focus.
10.5 BOOKS
10.5.1 a novel entitled "Rubik's Cube" by Leela Dutt, published by
Gee & Son LTD, Dendigh, Clwyd, Wales, 1984; CC# 7&8, pg 46
10.5.2 "THE Berenstain Bears and TOO MUCH TV", ISBN 0-394-86570,
RANDOM HOUSE 1984, $1.95; lesson is that there are things to do
besides watching TV like solving a cube puzzle, 2 picture plates
include a cube.
10.6 jokes
10.6.1 CUBIC SICK JOKE: What goes "click-click - have done it?", A
blind man doing Rubik's cube. - Oh No! Not Another 1000 Jokes for
KIds, Ward Lock, London, 1983, (Michael Kilgarriff ???); CC# 7&8, pg
45
10.7 EDUCATION CURRICULAR
10.8 NEW WORDS
10.8.1 CUBITIS MAGIKIA, N. A severe mental disorder accompanied by
itching of the fingertips, which can be relieved only by prolonged
contact with a multicolored cube originating in Hungary and Japan.
Symptoms often last for months. Highly contagious. - METAMAGICAL
THEMAS, ISBN 0-465-04540-5, Douglas Hofstadter, pg 301
10.8.2 SKEWB, N. The name given by D Hofstadter to a magic polyhedra
puzzle invented by Tony Durham. The puzzle is cube shaped with for
planes of movement corresponding to the diagnols of the cube. -
METAMAGICAL THEMAS, ISBN 0-465-04540-5, Douglas Hofstadter, pg 341
10.8.3 TWOBIK

--> thanks for any inputs/corrections or general comments.

<pbeck@ardec.arpa>