SKU: 8664388331

A Thing in Disguise

Sale price$9.17 Regular price$10.19
Save 10%

Pay in installments of $2.55 with ShopPay, AfterPay and Klarna

Shipping Estimate
USA
  • USA
  • CAN

Ships within 48 hours · Estimated delivery Jul 18 - Jul 23

Promo Codes Available:

For Your Every Summer RSVP, with Code: SUMMER15

Description

A Thing in DisguiseA brilliantly conceived biography of Joseph Paxton, horticulturist to the Duke & Duchess of Devonshire at Chatsworth, architect of the Crystal Palace at the Great Exhibition of 1851 and one of the greatest unsung heroes of the Victorian Age In the nineteenth century, which witnessed a revolution in horticulture and urban planning and architecture, Joseph Paxton, a man with no formal education, strode like a colossus. Head gardener at Chatsworth by the

A brilliantly conceived biography of Joseph Paxton, horticulturist to the Duke & Duchess of Devonshire at Chatsworth, architect of the Crystal Palace at the Great Exhibition of 1851 and one of the greatest unsung heroes of the Victorian Age

In the nineteenth century, which witnessed a revolution in horticulture and urban planning and architecture, Joseph Paxton, a man with no formal education, strode like a colossus. Head gardener at Chatsworth by the age of twenty-three, and encouraged by the sixth Duke of Devonshire whose patronage soon flourished into the defining friendship of his life, Paxton set about transforming this Derbyshire estate into the greatest garden in England. Visitors there were astonished by the enormous glasshouses and ambitious waterworks he built, the collection of orchids, the largest in all England, the dwarf bananas and the gargantuan lily, the trees and plants brought back from all over the world. Queen Victoria came to marvel and, increasingly, with the development of the railway in which Paxton was also involved, daytrippers from all over the country.

It was the Crystal Palace, home of the Great Exhibition in 1851, that secured Paxton's fame. His design, initially doodled on a piece of blotting paper, was the architectural triumph of its time. Two thousand men worked for eight months to complete it. It was six times the size of St Paul's Cathedral, enclosed a space of 18 acres, and entertained six million visitors. By the time of his death fourteen years later, 'the busiest man in England' according to Dickens, was friends with Brunel and Stevenson and in constant demand to design public parks and gardens. His last, seemingly most eccentric project was for a Great Boulevard under glass, a crystal arcade that would connect all the main railway termini in London.

Drawing on exclusive access to Paxton's personal letters, Kate Colquhouns's remarkable biography is a compelling story of a man who typifies the Victorian ideal of self-improvement and a touching portrait of one of that era's great heroes.



Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: Harper Perennial
Published: 09/11/2009
ISBN: 9780007143542
Pages: 320
Weight: 0.81lbs
Size: 8.00h x 5.00w x 0.76d
Shipping Notes
  • Free Standard Shipping on $100+ Orders to the USA.
  • Except Preorder products are shipped in 48 hours.
  • Delivery to the USA:
  1. Standard Shipping : 3-10 business days
  • If time is of the essence, please consider selecting expedited delivery for faster service.
Exchange/Return Notes
  • We offer a 30-day return/exchange service after receiving.
  • Final sale items are not eligible for returns or exchanges.
  • To process your return/exchange, please contact us at [email protected]
  • Please click here for more details>>> Return & Exchange Policy
SKU: 8664388331

Discover Niche Categories That Outsell

Top-Converting Item to Boost Your Average Order

4.6 ★★★★★
Based on 27 reviews
Sort
Highest Rating
Newest First
Oldest First
Product Reviews
S
StarReviewer
Battle Creek, US
★★★★★ 1
May be ballistic nylon, but the seams are flimsy.
Style: Gator, Style: Gator
I really wanted my pup to like this toy because it looks great and feels solid at first. The design is fun, the material seems tough, and it definitely gives the impression that it can handle some rough play. Unfortunately, that didn’t turn out to be the case at all. After just about 5 minutes of play, the top seam split open and stuffing started coming out. This wasn’t even extreme chewing, just normal play, and it failed almost immediately. As you can see in the photos, the tear happened right along the top seam, which is exactly where you’d expect a toy to be reinforced. Once it opened up, the toy was essentially done. For something marketed as ballistic nylon, this was really disappointing. It might be fine for very gentle dogs, but if your dog has even moderate chewing habits, this likely won’t last. Based on my experience, I wouldn’t recommend it. especially at 19.99 which is the price at time of my review, I feel it does not offer good value for money.
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on April 9, 2026
A
Amazon Customer
West Palm Beach, US
★★★★★ 5
A Surprisingly Tough Favorite for All Four of My Dogs
Style: Armadillo, Style: Armadillo
I wasn’t sure what to expect from the Hound 2.0 stuffed armadillo toy, but it has been a total hit in my house. Neither the dogs nor I have managed to find the squeaker yet—so it’s either missing or extremely well hidden—but honestly, the dogs don’t seem to care at all. They love this thing. I have four dogs ranging from a 22 lb Boston Terrier to an 85 lb pitbull, plus two medium Blue Heelers in between, and this toy has been thoroughly tested by every size and play style. I was a little unsure whether they’d like the harder “shell” portion of the armadillo, but they actually love it. It gives the toy a unique texture and makes it feel more durable. Before this, I knew nothing about the Hound 2.0 brand, but I’m a fan now. My little Boston Terrier is notorious for ripping every toy he touches, and this armadillo has stood up to him like a champ. The tag said it was made for outdoor play, wrestling, and chewing—and that’s absolutely true. I haven’t taken it outside yet, but inside it has survived rough play from all four dogs and still looks brand new. I also love that each toy in this line is a different animal with the hard parts in different places. It makes them feel unique instead of just the same toy in different shapes. I’ll definitely be buying more of these. If you have a pup—big, small, or anywhere in between—I’d recommend giving this toy a try. It’s been a winner in my multi‑dog home.
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on March 10, 2026
J
J S
Charlottesville, US
★★★★★ 4
Unique armadillo design
Style: Armadillo
I love the look of this armadillo toy. The flexible rubber shell gives it a spiky texture. It has reinforced nylon seams and printed eyes. The feet allow the toy to stand on its own, daring dogs to come knock it over. With a body length of 12" and standing 5" tall, the toy is of good size for even larger dogs, but it intimidated my 8lb yorkie mix. She found the hard shell and spikes off-putting and not fun. The toy is supposed to squeak, but either mine was broken or buried too deep to be useful. This was disappointing because I think a squeak would have helped my pup engage with the toy because she can't resist a noisy toy. I'd recommend this armadillo for larger dogs than my tiny pup. It seems durable with that rubber shell around the body.
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on March 16, 2026
W
Verified Purchase
Wanda
Alexandria, US
★★★★★ 5
Dog toy
These worked really good - they are made of a good quality denim like material seems dirty so far have only had them about a month.
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on December 3, 2025
D
Verified Purchase
DocMom2Four
Natrona Heights, US
★★★★★ 5
Very Sturdy and Safe for Tough Chewers
Style: Muskie
We already had a smaller fish toy from this brand, and after 4 months it is, amazingly, still intact. So we ordered this larger one as a holiday present. Our dog usually can rip apart any toy, even "tough chewer" toys, within a few minutes or hours, so this brand is a definite keeper for us. We have also had their giraffe toy for 4 months with no rips or holes. The best part is that there is no stuffing to worry about. Inside the toy is a rope toy instead of stuffing, so it is so much less risky. Highly recommended.
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on December 30, 2024

recommand products