The Material Review
Issue 100: The Dull Men’s Club, Twain, Accurate Watches, At The Bin Store, Cigarette Cases, License Plate Collectors and Spotlight On: Etsy.
Stories worth reading. Stop indexing the internet.
Meet the members of the Dull Men’s Club: ‘Some of them would bore the ears off you’
“An international club where dull people meet online to share the tedium of everyday lives is immensely popular. But for one man it’s a place of poignant connection” [The Guardian]
Twain Dreams
“The enigma of Samuel Clemens” [Harper’s]
Do You Really Need a Highly Accurate Watch?
“Your phone and appliances keep perfect time, but Rolex and other luxury brands trust that buyers will desire precision-focused mechanical models.” [NYT]
Seven Days At The Bin Store
[Defector]
Why cigarette cases are smoking hot
“007’s favourite is lighting up the collector’s market” [FT]
They Travel the World—and Cheat Death—for License Plates
“Collectors trek to all corners of the globe for rare finds, from diplomatic tags to the devilish 666; the Vatican City holy grail” [WSJ]
A shortlist of things we’ve got our eye on.
Nanamica Regular Collar Chambray Shirt
American Diner Plate Set
Rootie's Blue Cheese
Chamula X Buck Mason Crepe Sole Cancun Huarache
National Audubon Society Field Guide to the Night Sky
Etsy
Dyneema Trail Pouch
Vintage Lobster Enamel Mug
Vintage 1980s Patagonia Long Sleeve Button Up Shirt
1990s Polo Ralph Lauren Crest Logo Patch Canvas Duffel Bag
Red Wing Trucker Hat
Vintage Sailboats & Lighthouses Ice Bucket
Classifieds
Welcome to our weekly “Classifieds” section of the newsletter. The idea is to find an easy way to promote things happening in our ecosystem. Think of this space to promote your eBay shop, event, newsletter, app, book, tool or your personal brand (if you must). Drop us a line at if you’re interested in buying an item in an upcoming issue. Price: $200 for four ads. Maximum 280 character per ad.
🎉 Denim + ‘Dines Repair Party @ Patagonia San Francisco
Wed June 18 - 6:30-8:00pm. 770 North Point St
Join us for a hands-on evening of repair, community, and good food.
🎣 🐟 Flyfishing Crafts Trunk Show @ Tortoise General Store
June 27–29, 2025 Friday & Saturday: 1pm-6pm, Sunday: Noon-5pm.
FLYFISHING CRAFTS By YUDAI MAKER and Nobuyuki Sugito of COMPASS.
🥂 A Night With Esquire’s Michael Dougherty
Tuesday, June 24th. 5:30PM-8PM. 51 E. 44th St. NYC.
Join J. Press at its New York flagship for a night with Esquire’s Michael Dougherty and to celebrate Michael’s new book: The Handbook of Men’s Style. No RSVP necessary.
🥂🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻