Return to Blog

August 19, 2021

We at Hammacher Schlemmer feel the exceptional should be no exception, which is why you’ll commonly find uncommon items in our catalog, in our store, and on our website.

When we say “uncommon” we mean items that impart a touch of whimsy into our assortment – these are the items that usually make the front cover of our catalog. Some have been so unexpected that customers have shared with us they had to browse through our catalog just to find “what this thing was!” That’s certainly a good story, but we find the better story is behind the item that creates the intrigue in the first place.

Let us direct your attention to none other than Zoltar. You probably remember him from the movie “Big” – you know, the fortune-telling amusement that transforms the movie’s young protagonist into an adult version of himself. Standing at the same 6 1/2' height as the one used in the movie, this animatronic prognosticator utters a spoken prediction and produces a printed fortune. Replete with all the details befitting the mysterious auguries of yesteryear, including a handlebar mustache, beard, and paisley vest, Zoltar’s bust is surrounded by panes of glass and two lighted sconces on either side. Once you insert a coin (which can be removed), Zoltar nods, his crystal ball illuminates, and he relates 16 different fortunes while dispensing one of 23 different fortunes – and that’s just a fraction of the 2,000 fortunes that come with this mysterious oracle from parts unknown!