Landmark display

Abstract

An article of furniture, including a horizontal shelf, a visual representation of a historic landmark attached to the horizontal shelf, and a souvenir substance attached to the article of furniture. In another embodiment, a cabinet, including two or more walls, a horizontal shelf attached to the walls, and a visual representation of a historic landmark attached to the horizontal shelf.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to the representation of historic landmarks.

BACKGROUND

A broad interest exists in depictions, and especially scale models, of famous buildings and other landmarks. Such depictions often provide both esthetic and educational value, yet are unsuitable for home use for several reasons. Scale models can require substantial amounts of space and fail to conform to typical home decors, for example. A visual representation that is combined with a piece of furniture can, however, provide value to consumers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An article of furniture, including a horizontal shelf, a visual representation of a historic landmark attached to the horizontal shelf, and a souvenir substance attached to the article of furniture. In another embodiment, a cabinet, including two or more walls, a horizontal shelf attached to the walls, and a visual representation of a historic landmark attached to the horizontal shelf.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a detail view of a visual representation forming a portion of a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of a first embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The following definitions are provided to aid in construing the claims of the present application:

Famous: For the purposes of the present application, a landmark, document, person, item, or any type of knowledge is considered famous if it is publicly available knowledge, regardless of the percentage of the public actually being aware of it.

Furniture: For the purposes of the present application, a cabinet, chest, or table.

Historical Landmark: A famous building, such as Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pa., a natural landmark, such as the Grand Canyon, a man-made landmark or object, such as the Golden Gate Bridge, a city, town, or village, a historic battlefield or campaign, a representation of a map, a representation of the solar system or any other portion of the universe.

Souvenir Substance: A portion of an original substance, such as a tree or other plant, rock, quantity of earth or sand, portion of a building, or other original substance.

Visual Representation: A drawing, hologram, painting, model (whether of not to scale), or other representation of a historical landmark.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a first embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. FIG. 2 illustrates the entire first embodiment; FIG. 1 shows a detail view of one portion of it. An item of furniture 100, comprising at least a horizontal shelf 105 is shown. The item of furniture can be a cabinet, such as a cabinet, a chest, a dresser, or a table. In a first embodiment, it is a cabinet, such as a curio cabinet or a colonial style china cabinet. In this first embodiment, furniture 100, further comprises a plurality of walls 10 attached to horizontal shelf 105, top 115 attached to walls 110, and one or more doors 120 attached to walls 110. Plurality of walls 110 can include two or any greater number of walls, but generally includes two or three walls. The cabinet can be constructed of a wide variety of materials including, but not limited to, solid wood, wood veneer, plastic, and metal. In a first embodiment, the cabinet is constructed of solid oak or mahogany and can, but need not, be treated with a finish. In the first embodiment, hardware can also be added to the cabinet based at least in part on visual considerations (i.e., to conform to colonial styling). In the first embodiment, one or more doors 120 are a single glass door to allow the items attached to the interior of the cabinet to be viewed without opening the cabinet.

In other embodiments other materials and other types of construction can be utilized. Moreover, it is not necessary that the cabinet be closed, that doors be included (or that if doors are included that they be transparent), or that the horizontal shelf be located in the interior of the cabinet. Moreover, other types of furniture, such as chests, dressers, and tables can be used as well as cabinets in other embodiments.

Referring again to FIG. 1, visual representation 130 is attached to horizontal shelf 105. Visual representation 130 can be a scale model of a historic building, such as Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pa., the birthplace of our country. It can also be any other sort of visual representation as defined above and can be of any historical landmark as defined above. For example, a scale model of a building such as sports stadium, the Second Temple, or the Eiffel Tower, or a city (modern or ancient) or a representation of a famous battlefield are all possible. In the first embodiment, souvenir substance 135 is also attached to horizontal shelf 105. Souvenir substance 135 can be a piece of a historic tree, such as the Ailanthus Altissima tree located in the courtyard area on the southeast side of Independence Hall, a few feet from where the late president John F. Kennedy delivered his speech on the interdependence of nations on Jul. 4, 1962, or any other souvenir substance as described above. In the first embodiment, the souvenir substance relates in some way to the historical landmark. It is a portion of the landmark or an item close to the landmark or an item or portion thereof used with or associated with the landmark. In certain other embodiments of the present invention, souvenir substance 135 is not utilized.

In certain embodiments of the present invention, one or more famous items are also attached to furniture 100, and in some such embodiments, such one or more famous items relate to visual representation 130. In the first embodiment, representations of the Syng Inkstand 140 and the Liberty Bell 145 can accompany a visual representation of Independence Hall 130. In other embodiments of the present invention, however, no famous items are used.

In certain embodiments of the present invention, one or more famous documents are also attached to furniture 100, and in some such embodiments, such one or more famous documents relate to visual representation 130. In the first embodiment, a representation of the Declaration of Independence (not illustrated) and a representation of the Constitution (not illustrated) can accompany a visual representation of Independence Hall 130. These documents can be enclosed in frames matching the styling of furniture 100. In other embodiments of the present invention, however, no famous documents are used.

In certain embodiments of the present invention, representations of one or more famous persons are also attached to furniture 100, and in some such embodiments, such one or more famous documents relate to visual representation 130. In the first embodiment, a representation of Thomas Jefferson 150 can accompany a visual representation of Independence Hall 130. In other embodiments of the present invention, however, no famous documents are used.

Written explanations relating to famous items, such as Liberty Bell 145, and famous persons, such as Thomas Jefferson 150, can also accompany visual representation 130. In a first embodiment, a written explanation 155 relating to Thomas Jefferson 150 is illustrated. Other or different written explanations can also be included or located elsewhere or no written explanations need be utilized.

In a first embodiment, a written explanation (not shown) relating to souvenir substance 135 can be attached to or engraved into the front side of shelf 105 facing the viewer of visual representation 130. For example, in the case of a souvenir substance consisting of a particular historic tree located at Independence Hall, this written explanation can include the former location of the tree (when it was alive), the type of tree (ailanthus altissima) and its characteristics, historical facts relating to the tree, and other textual or visual material, such as a representation of the great seal of the president of the United States. In other embodiments, this written explanation can be located elsewhere of need not be utilized.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes of the invention. Accordingly, reference should be made to the appended claims, rather than the foregoing specification, as indicating the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. An article of furniture, comprising:

a horizontal shelf;

a visual representation of a historic landmark attached to said horizontal shelf; and

a souvenir substance attached to the article of furniture.

2. The article of furniture of claim 1, further comprising:

a cover attached to said horizontal shelf.

3. The article of furniture of claim 2, wherein at least a portion of said cover is transparent.

4. The article of furniture of claim 1, wherein the article of furniture is one of a cabinet, a chest, and a table.

5. The article of furniture of claim 1,

wherein the article of furniture is a cabinet; and

wherein said horizontal shelf is located within the interior of the article of furniture.

6. The article of furniture of claim 1, wherein said horizontal shelf is located on the upper surface of the article of furniture.

7. The article of furniture of claim 1, wherein the historic landmark is one of a historic building, a historic battlefield, a city, and a natural landmark.

8. The article of furniture of claim 1, wherein the historic landmark is Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pa.

9. The article of furniture of claim 1, wherein the souvenir substance is one of a piece of a plant, a piece of a rock, a quantity of earth, a quantity of sand, and a piece of a building.

10. The article of furniture of claim 1, wherein the souvenir substance is an item related to the historic landmark.

11. The article of furniture of claim 1, wherein the souvenir substance is a piece of a tree growing near Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pa.

12. The article of furniture of claim 1, further comprising a representation of at least one famous person attached to the article of furniture.

13. The article of furniture of claim 12, wherein the famous person depicted in said representation of at least one famous person is related to the historic landmark.

14. The article of furniture of claim 12, wherein the famous person depicted in said representation of at least one famous person is one of Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson.

15. The article of furniture of claim 1, further comprising a representation of at least one famous document attached to the article of furniture.

16. The article of furniture of claim 15, wherein the famous document depicted in said representation of at least one famous document is related to the historic landmark.

17. The article of furniture of claim 15, wherein the famous document depicted in said representation of at least one famous document is the Declaration of Independence.

18. The article of furniture of claim 1, further comprising a representation of at least one famous item attached to the article of furniture.

19. The article of furniture of claim 18, wherein the famous item depicted in said representation of at least one famous item is related to the historic landmark.

20. The article of furniture of claim 18, wherein the famous item depicted in said representation of at least one famous item is one of the Syng Inkstand and the Liberty Bell.

21. The article of furniture of claim 1, wherein the visual representation is a model.

22. The article of furniture of claim 1, wherein the visual representation is a scale model.

23. The article of furniture of claim 1, wherein the visual representation is a two dimensional picture.

24. A cabinet, comprising:

a plurality of walls;

a horizontal shelf attached to said plurality of walls; and

a visual representation of a historic landmark attached to said horizontal shelf.