Condition (used): fair for age in poor box (see below) - may not be complete so is SOLD AS FOUND - basically what you see is what you get, the wooden box is quite worn with some damage (two thirds of the rim for the lid is missing), damaged labels, general wear/marks/grubbiness, the blocks are all well played with and some have small chips, otherwise fairly minor marks and grubbiness commensurate with age and use.
Identifying marks or labels etc: "Anchor Blocks with Metal Constructions called Imperator (Stone Building Box) US Patent March 5th 1900 Sole Manufacturers and Patentees F Ad Richter & Co American House 215 Pearl Street New York".
Other information: interesting old building set and very rare, we are uncertain as to the exact age but would suggest circa 1900s -"Richter's Anchor Stone Building Sets (Richters Anker Steinbaukasten) were the world's most popular construction toy from the early 1880s through W.W.I. These building stones were made in Rudolstadt, Thuringia, Germany, (and at the company's branches in Vienna, New York and, possibly, St. Petersburg, Russia). Starting in 1880, Richter's Anchor building stones were covered by international patents and trademarks". Source: ankerstein. "Anchor Stone pieces originally were and are still made of a mixture of quartz sand, chalk, and linseed oil (German Patent 13,770; USA Patent 233,780), precisely pressed in moulds so that they fit together perfectly. The stones come in three colours in imitation of the red brick, tan limestone, and blue slate of European buildings. They are not recommended for play by children under 3 years of age because of their small size. Richter's Anchor Stone Building Sets: (Richters Anker-Steinbaukasten). The more than 600 different sets were produced over the multi-decade life of these sets; more than 1,000 stone shapes were made (CVA Stone Catalog). In 1910 Richter died, heralding the end of the first era for Anchor Stones. (Registered as death # 878 in Jena on December 27, 1910; he died at 9:00 PM on December 25, 1910.)" Source : wikipedia - may be of some interest to a collector.
Approximate dimensions: 29cm (box length), 18.5cm (box width), 5cm (box height).
Approximate weight: 2300g.
Price £20.
Approximate Condition Descriptors:
: May have many faults, blemishes and defects. Suitable for spares or restoration.
: May have a few faults, blemishes and defects but generally sound.
: May have a few very minor blemishes.
: Generally in good condition with only a few very minor signs of wear.
: Near mint to mint condition.
