Gloggomobil – the coolest musical toy ever
There are a ton of musical toys out there, such as toy pianos and xylophones. Never have I been so fascinated by such a simple yet creative toy as I am with the Gloggomobil.
A fantastic execution in “it seems obvious now that I see it”, the toy musical device works on the principle of the barrel organ. You stick the studs in the holes in the barrel, and they play notes on the xylophone to create a custom-sequenced musical loop. You can even detach the xylophone part and play it independently. Genius. This is the type of toy that parents will be just as interested in playing as the kids.
Part toy, part instrument and part work of art, the Gloggomobil was designed by Herbert Bächli and is made by Naef toys in Switzerland. Fawn & Forest, the people who sell it online, get it spot on when they say “This is probably the most original and educational toy that has ever been created.“
Here’s a video of an installation called “Organised sound”, a Kinetic sculpture shown at the FutureEverything new media festival in Manchester, featuring Gloggomobils, a record player, timers and found objects:
The downside of the toy is the price – this is no wal-mart special. It takes a few days to handcraft the Gloggomobil by craftsmen in Switzerland, and sells for $899 here.
That is very cool, but what an absolutely ridiculous price!
I managed to make mine, (the one in the video) for about £20. took a fair while to make, but this one was obviously much bigger than the original toy. I’m rubbish at woodwork, so if i managed to do it, I reckon most could. the hardest bit was drilling the holes straight but that would be no problem with a pillar drill. I made 3 in total.