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June 19, 2006

Piet Mondrian Modulon: Awesome De Stijl-Inspired Blocks By Naef

naef_modulon_blocks.jpg

Wow. I finally started following up on some of the companies I'd seen mentioned in the latest issue of Baby Mammoth, the dad-friendly but advertiser-challenged baby magazine from Japan. One company they featured about ten times: toys by Naef, the Swiss company founded back in the mid-20th century by designer Kurt Naef. Naef is known for abstract, sculptural, and beautifully hand-crafted wood toys which also happen to be made from sustainably harvested forests and non-toxic finishes.

This design by Jo Niemeyer, called Modulon, totally blew me away. It's part of what Naef calls its Bauhaus-inspired collection, but Niemeyer actually (and obviously) credits Piet Mondriaan and Gerritt Rietveld, who, technically, were part of the de Stijl movement.

Still, what it is is undeniable: a gorgeous set of blocks in shapes and sizes in a ratio determined by the Golden Section. What is also is is small--a 4.5-inch cube when all 16 blocks are put together--and expensive--$279.

Modulon is available at a few web retailers and museum shops, but since I get a cut from them, I think you should buy all your $279 blocks at the Museum of Modern Design shop on Amazon. [amazon.com]

posted June 19, 2006 3:20 PM | add to del.icio.us | digg this

comments

Great blocks!
But speaking of people you get a cut from. . .what is up with the advertisers on your site only picturing moms in their ads (on a dad web site!)
And for full disclosure I am a mom.

[yeah, I've mentioned that to quite a few of them... -ed.]

posted by: shannon at June 19, 2006 4:18 PM

Vintage Naef blocks often come up on eBay, but look to pay even more.

Creative Playthings also produced/distributed several Spiel-Naef block sets.

posted by: Andy at June 19, 2006 4:35 PM

These are some neat toys.

posted by: Jane at June 20, 2006 8:47 AM
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