Where to find a tacky bow-tie

December 13, 2005 2:51 PM

Does anyone know where I can find a revolving bow-tie to give a friend for Christmas? I have googled galore and found nothing but other cheesy gag ties but not this particular one. I live in NYC so maybe there are specific stores for this item? Thanks for any suggestions!
posted by clon7 to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (13 answers total)

My best guess would be either a clown supply store or a magician supply store, if you have either. (I live in a medium sized town in the Midwest and have both within an hour's drive of here--so I'm guessing you probably have both in NYC.)

If they don't have one, they might at least have a supplier who would carry something like that.
posted by divka at 3:01 PM on December 13, 2005

google, alas, fails me. I would have expected them to be for sale.

How about making one yourself? If you have an old CD-ROM (laptop CD-ROM) you might be able to salvage the small motors from them. Otherwise, try checking hobby/radio-control/model shops and asking for miniature electric pancake motors - and retrofit a clip-on bowtie?
posted by PurplePorpoise at 3:22 PM on December 13, 2005

I know they used to sell small, toy-car motors at radio shack. I'm not sure a CD player one would be powerfully enough.
posted by delmoi at 3:37 PM on December 13, 2005

My first stop would be Ricky's. I also thought of Party City, but their site search does not return such a bow-tie.
posted by edlundart at 3:51 PM on December 13, 2005

You might also want to try Halloween Adventure, 104 Fourth Ave., between 11th and 12th Sts., 212-673-4546 -- or Abracadabra superstore at 19 W 21st St, 212-627-5194.
posted by edlundart at 3:56 PM on December 13, 2005

You are not the only one with this dilemma, apparently. No, seriously, apparently a lot of people [search for spinning] want to know...

Sorry.. I got nothin'.
posted by twiggy at 4:06 PM on December 13, 2005

Yahoo says look here: http://www.praxisgsk.gr/product.asp?pid=504 and a couple other places...
posted by onalark at 4:17 PM on December 13, 2005

And here, apparently. If you were really desperate, I suspect one of these stores in Greece could send one to you. I have the feeling they're going to be hard to locate in the US.
posted by onalark at 4:30 PM on December 13, 2005

Well, I found a photo here, which links to this costume shop -- but the online catalogue has no spinning bowties.

And I refuse to believe that there's not a single spinning bowtie in NYC. Halloween Adventure must know who has them.
posted by milquetoast at 4:36 PM on December 13, 2005

Both onalark and milquetoast's ties were made by Smiffy's. But sadly, they do not seem to sell them any more. Here is the list of bow-tie related items they do make.
posted by Lazlo Hollyfeld at 6:11 PM on December 13, 2005

Response by poster: Thanks for all the info! It is kind of a nutty quest :) and if I find one I will post back.
posted by clon7 at 6:14 PM on December 13, 2005

It's not nutty at all. I've been trying to find thick, plain antennae for years now with no luck.
posted by PurplePorpoise at 7:47 AM on December 14, 2005

There's a small place on 8th, right around 40th on the westside of the avenue that sells things like this. I don't know if they have a bow tie or not, but it might be worth a try. I think it's called, aptly, "the funny store"
posted by miniape at 9:49 AM on December 14, 2005