Anker Steinbaukasten...

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"Tower", Peter Schmidt, watercolor painting, 1976
(Collection of the Schmidt Family)
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Peter seems to have looked back on a stressful, war torn childhood as inspiration for some of his work. In his autobiographical "Monoprint" series, he used not only his old art works as raw materials, but pages from childhood books, and photos from early in his life. As with the "Mandala Castles", Peter used as a point of reference for "Tower", a childhood toy known in his native Germany as Richters Anker Steinbaukasten, and Richter's Anchor Stone Building Sets to the English speaking world. These sets were first manufactured in 1880 in Germany, and were sold all over Europe and the United States. Production was halted after the godless Soviet Union annexed East Germany, fearing too many people used the blocks to build model churches and cathedrals. A few years after reunification, they were to be produced once again using the original molds. These blocks were enjoyed by Albert Einstein as a child.
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"Anker Stones consist of quartz sand, linseed oil, colour pigments and chalk - for over 125 years the formula has remained the same. The use of 100% natural ingredients meets the highest ecological standards." - The Formula, from the Anker website.
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The Anker homepage(multi lingual): www.ankerstein.de
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"Anchor stones have been used for what I call "easy art". Gluing stones on a board in an interesting 3-D pattern. The old stones make more attractive "easy art". Of course, this type of art is quite different from the art of Peter Schmidt. His "Anchor" buildings are quite true to the Anchor stones themselves and he has worked the buildings into the background very well." - George Hardy
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Mr. George Hardy, worldwide Anker expert: www.ankerstein.org
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