Ankerstein

Is there anything in Block Play that is so satisfactory to so many senses as Ankerstein? The colors, heft, the tactile delights, the always surprising delight of the scent of linseed oil, sand, and chalk? Few things provide so many pleasures to build with.

Today it was back to basics, set #6, a plan from the accompanying booklet, built with deep pleasure & photographed with only the light from the windows.

Good Block Play

GK-NS

The Ankerstein GK-NS, or Grosse Kaliber - Neue Serie (large caliber - new series), are pretty much the same as our familiar GK-NF, or Grosse Kaliber - Neue Folge (large caliber - new series), except for the large arches have a notch out of the upper corner. Sometimes that makes a difference, though not so much here, where the large arch isn't used.

One small difference: in the boxes, the notches are filled with #19 stones. With those stones in place, the NS arch substitutes nicely for an NF arch; without them the NS arch provides some additional interesting options.

In this church, though, it is only the two extra #19 stones that are used, so if you only have a current Anchor #4 set, you can't build this as shown. I think my handful of readers either have multiple sets or no sets, so not a problem.

Good block play.