Kurt Naef, designer and founder of Naef Spiele, created toys for people who enjoy open ended creativity. The Swiss craftsmanship and quality has left a long legacy of multigenerational play. This year would have marked Kurt’s 100th birthday.
To celebrate the occasion, Naef Spiele has released two very special anniversary editions of the original Naef Spiel, the building set that started it all back in 1956. If you've been looking for a reason to finally add a piece of Naef history to your home, this is it. They're available now, to pre-order, through Naef USA.
Who Was Kurt Naef?
Kurt Naef was a Swiss carpenter and interior designer who, in 1956, invented a building game made of wooden cubes with diagonal cuts, that diagonal notch lets you balance, lean, and stack blocks in ways conventional building sets never allowed. The Naef Spiel has been in continuous production ever since.
What made Naef different from every other toymaker of his era? His insistence that a toy should do several things at once: it should look beautiful, feel satisfying in the hand, invite open-ended play, and hold up through decades of use.
Naef went on to design around 60 products over his lifetime. He passed away in November 2006 at age 80, just a few months after an exhibition celebrating his life's work at the Children's Museum in Baden, Switzerland. This year, that same museum is once again honoring him, this time for what would have been his centennial.
Why Collectors Care?
Naef Spiel occupies a unique place between toy, sculpture, and design objects. The geometric forms invite experimentation, while the craftsmanship allows the pieces to remain display-worthy for decades.
For collectors of Swiss design, wooden toys, and modernist objects, these anniversary editions represent a rare opportunity to own a special piece of Naef history.
If you are drawn to mid-century European modernism, or Bauhaus minimalist principles, you will find a lot to connect with in the Naef Spiel.
The Color Story Behind These Editions
The color palette was pulled directly from the very first Naef Spiel versions produced in the 1960s. Anyone who has spent time around vintage Naef pieces knows that early color sensibility: warm, saturated, yet never loud. They were considered architectural shades, the kind of palette a trained Swiss interior designer would choose.
The anniversary editions revive the original 1960’s palette with a satin finish that feels both vintage and modern.
The blocks themselves are milled from maple, which takes up the pigment and gives the color warmth, a slight grain shows through, keeping each piece from looking like a factory stamp.
Limited Edition Vs. Signature Edition
Which one is right for you?
The Limited Edition ($169) It's restricted to 1,100 units worldwide. You get the full set, 15 Naef Spiel cubes and 8 mini cubes in the 1960s-inspired colorway, along with a booklet. For someone who wants a meaningful piece of design history that will actually get used and displayed, this is the one.
The Signature Edition ($198) Only 200 of these exist worldwide. Beyond the blocks themselves, this edition is numbered and features Kurt Naef's printed signature, premium packaging with UV spot varnish for a distinctive gloss effect, and an exclusive booklet. This set also includes 15 Naef Spiel cubes and 8 mini cubes. If you're building a collection or want something you can genuinely hand down one day, the Signature Edition is for you.
Once these are gone, they won’t be produced again.
Order Now to Lock In Your Piece of History
Both editions are ready for pre-orders now at Naef USA.
Shop the Signature Edition ($198) →
Shop the Limited Edition ($169) →