Tuesday, August 07, 2007

Tiffany Teether (not asthma-related...just a MamaRant!)

I reading about last week's Fisher-Price recall, when while scanning the list, I noticed this older item:

CPSC, Tiffany and Company Announce Recall of Farm Teether Rattles

Tiffany & Co. makes teethers? Oh, dear...I had to read on, of course.

The following product safety recall was voluntarily conducted by the firm in cooperation with the CPSC. Consumers should stop using the product immediately unless otherwise instructed.


Name of Product: Farm Teether Rattle
Units:
About 3,700
Manufacturer:
New England Sterling of Attleboro, Mass., for Tiffany and Company of New York, N.Y.
Hazard: A metal bar on the rattle can break off during use, releasing small round beads and small farm animal figures that roll off the crossbar when the soldered joints break. The beads can pose an aspiration hazard to young children. The breakage also can create ragged edges on the ring, posing a laceration hazard.

OK -- hold it right there. Metal? I get the 'small beads' inside the rattle, but small farm animal figures? Do your rattles and teethers have any metal and choking-hazard sized animals on them? Moving on...


Incidents/Injuries: CPSC and Tiffany and Company have received one report of a farm animal figure that was found in the mouth of a 7-month-old child. The child
was not injured.
Description: The recalled rattle is designed for children ages 3 months and up. The Farm Teether Rattle is a hollow, sterling silver ring approximately 3 inches in diameter with a bar across its center. The bar is attached to the interior of the ring at two points and has three farm animals (sheep, duck and cow) and two beads that rotate on the bar. Small plastic beads inside the ring rattle when the product is shaken. Inscribed on the rattle is “© 2002 TIFFANY & CO. 925.”


It's sterling silver?? It's STERLING SILVER TEETHER? Are you freaking kidding me??? It's TEETHER that you have to POLISH. Oh, that's brilliant...
And don't get me started with the engraving for authenticity...

Sold at: Tiffany and Company sold these rattles in its retail stores and from its catalogs and Web site from November 2002 through early March 2004 for about
$150.

Manufactured In: United States

Remedy: Consumers can return the product to Tiffany and Company for a full refund, credit or a new rattle.

Are you kidding me? About 3,700 people spent $150 on a sterling silver teether? Who ARE these people? Do they all share the last name Hilton?

And damned straight Tiffany & Co. had better issue a "refund, credit or new rattle" for their high-society choking hazard.

Only in America, folks. Only in America.

Oh, and just another sad-state-of affairs note: The CPSC recall list is SO long and so frequently updated, they really should provide an RSS feed.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I recieved a silver chime Teether from an Aunt of my husband, and it was the best thing for teething. Never would have bought it myself, but it stays cold and soothes the gums. My boy threw the teether and it broke, and we just recieved a replacement from the store where it was purchased. Now, my 6 MO old daughter loves looking at the shiny gazing chime ball on top of the ring. It isn't a Tiffany teether, but it still cost over 100 dollars. I just think of it as a family heirloom, and I look at it as a nice thing to pass down. When it is being used it doesn't need polishing. It is just fun to have something nice every now and then. It isn't the only peice of silver we recieved after having our son. We also recieved a solid silver baby cup form another aunt along with a solid silver photo frame. Gotta enjoy it! My family would never think of such things, but I guess it is a tradition in my hubby's family. Have a nice day!

Anonymous said...

sliver is a great for teething. it is antimicrobal, and is cool to sooth the gums. i just bought a teething necklace made of silvr with 2 rings. its preference and shame on whomever wrote the main blog. if you can afford to, why not!!!!!!! hater!