New stone building sets and puzzles are
being made again, and in Rudolstadt, by
Modellbaustein-Spiele GmbH,
Breitscheidstr. 103, D-07407 Rudolstadt/Thüringen, Germany. Tel: 03672
/ 5 25 55; Fax: 03672 / 5 25 52;
e-mail address Modellbau@Ankerstein.de. These wonderful
sets are beginning to be imported into the USA once more. Last February,
these sets were reintroduced at the American International Toy Fair in New
York. I visited the Toy Fair and finally got the new pricing. The
first set, # 6, was offered in the December issue of Land's End Holiday Catalog,
on page 6, for $140, plus shipping.
Because the retail distribution of Anchor sets and puzzles is still extremely limited, as a service to people who want to buy these new sets, I keep a few on hand and will send them, post paid, upon receipt of a check. Since I am not operating a business, I have no arrangements to accept credit cards. The "Christmas crush" was very heavy, but all sets are back in inventory now. If you want to buy old sets (generally higher numbered sets not offered [not yet, if ever] as new sets), check the old sets for sale page.
The cost of the new sets and puzzles:
# 6 (105 stones, the basic set)
.............................................................................
$ 120
# 6A (113 stones, supplement to set # 6, to total 218 stones)
............................... $ 130
# 8A (116 stones, supplement to sets # 6 & 6A, to total 334 stones)
.................... $ 140
# 10A (165 stones, supplement to set # 6 & 6A & 8A, to total 499
stones) ........ $ 150
Anchor Puzzle (a seven stone tangram, with 178 problems and solutions)
.............. $ 14
Egg of Columbus (an egg shaped puzzle)
.............................................................. $
14
I have been surprised that many of the buyers are adults who intend to build with the sets themselves. I do hope that they let the youngsters have a turn.
I have been told that the set # 12A will be finished in time for the Nuremberg Toy Fair in early February, 1998. Although I have pushed the question of loose stones with both the factory (during my recent visit to the factory) and the importer, no decision has been made by the factory or the importer. The factory was severely overcharging for loose stones. They were selling loose stones at roughly three times the retail price of stones in sets (assuming that the box and books cost nothing!). If you would like to buy a set or two or have questions, please don't hesitate to contact me by e-mail.
For those who are really interested in Anchor stones, I have written a book about them. (I just got tired of either looking up the same information again and again, or trusting my memory on specific details such as dates and names.) It is expensive, $70 (or 100 DM) ppd, because I print it myself on my PC and color ink is expensive. The book undoubtedly contains far more information about Anchor stones and sets, the Richter company, etc. than you'll ever want to read. This book is a lot of work to print (I print about a dozen at a time; it is available in either English or German), so please don't think I am urging you to buy one.
A picture of new sets #s 4 and 6.
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