Title & Author:

Anker-Steinbaukasten aus der Fabrik von F. Ad. Richter & Cie., Rudolstadt, Nürnberg, Olten, Rotterdam [toy] = Richter's anchor blocks of stone in three colors, also known as "stone building boxes" manufactured by F. Ad. Richter & Co. ... New York = Boîte de construction ancre, F. Ad. Richter & cie, Olten, Rudolstadt, Nuremberg, Vienne = Anker-Steenbouwdoos van F. Ad. Richter & cie., Rotterdam, Rudolstadt, Neuremberg, Weenen = Anker-Stenbyggekasse fra F. Ad. Richter & cie., Rudolstadt, Rotterdam, Nürnberg, Wien.

Publication:

[ca. 1912] (Rudolstadt, Thüringen : F. Ad. Richter & Co.)

Description:

1 set of building blocks (600 pieces) : compressed and dyed sandstone ; various sizes in wooden box 16 x 36 x 25 cm. + 24 printed items.

Notes:
Set no. 12 (Lindau). The stones have no interlocking device and are assembled by stacking, with post and lintel structure acting as support system.
Title from printed (chromolithograph) label mounted on recto of lid. Design incorporates anchor trade mark.
Packing diagram for part of set mounted on verso of lid. Includes list of contents of box in German, Dutch, French and English: 6 books of designs no. 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12; 3 Practical architects, no. 8, 10 and 12; 4 packing-designs no. 6, 6A, 8A and 10A; 1 ground-plan and 10 sheets of paper figures nos. I-X. Set packed in 4 trays corresponding to the 4 packing designs.

Exhibitions:

Exhibited: "L'architecture en jeux: jeux de construction du CCA = Buildings in boxes: architectural toys from the CCA", Centre canadien d'architecture, Nov. 27, 1990-Mar. 31, 1991.

Summary:

Invented in 1879 by Otto and Gustav Lillienthal, with production later taken over by Richter, the anchor blocks are composed of compressed and dyed sand, chalk and linseed oil varnish and were produced by an industrial technique used in hollow metal casting. Manufacture and sale of the stone block sets lasted almost a century, from 1876-1963, with production reaching its peak around 1920. The stones were produced in close to 1000 shapes and sizes and issued in more than 400 boxed sets. They were also issued in both small and large sizes and in both old and new series. Supplementary sets were produced so that existing sets could be converted into larger ones. Designers of the building plans which accompanied the sets were chosen with care, and architectural inaccuracies were not permitted in the plans. The earliest sets include on the title label a squirrel trade mark, adopted from the Lillienthals and gradually replaced by the anchor. The title graphic on many of the sets, including this one, also features the figure of Architectura. Company branches were established in over a half dozen European cities as well as London and New York. When A.C. Gilbert purchased the American interest in 1913, Richter lost the anchor trade mark in the United States and sold the blocks there under the trade name Union.
After the 1920s the company entered into a gradual decline. In 1953 it was converted by the State Development Authority into a people-owned enterprise (VEB). It finally ceased production in 1963. (Cf. P. Zwijnenberg. The history of the Richter Anker stone blocks. Alphen a/d Rijn, 1982).

Resources:
Image

Subject:

Richter, Friedrich Adolf, 1846-1910.
F. Ad. Richter & Co.
Blocks (Toys) Germany Specimens.
Toys Germany Specimens.
Cubes (Pièces de jeu) Allemagne Spécimens.
Jouets Allemagne Spécimens.
Blocks (Toys)
Toys
Germany

Form/genre:

Toys (recreational artifacts)
Stone toys (recreational artifacts)
Blocks (toys)
Specimens

Added entries:

F. Ad. Richter & Co.
Richter's anchor blocks of stone in three colors.
Boîte de construction ancre.
Anker-Steenbouwdoos.
Anker-Stenbyggekasse.

Holdings:

Location: Library main objects 61107
Call No.: TS2301.T7.S7 F12 1912
Status: Available