Braun Börse 2024

The Braun+Design Börse is an annual event and fair focusing on Braun products. Braun might not be the design icon it was 40 years ago, but starting in 1955, it profoundly impacted the design world, starting with its cooperation with the Ulm School of Design.

With Dieter Rams as the Head of the Design group, Braun became a Design Icon. Nowadays, Braun is again in the spotlight with their Head of Design, Oliver Grabes. Over the decades, many legendary products have been created. Most of them inspired other companies, such as Apple, immensely.

So, it's no surprise that a huge Braun collectors community exists worldwide. Most of these people collect Braun products for a living. These people are all over the place, from South Korea to Turkey to the US. And, of course, most of them are based in Germany.

Because of this, since 1982, there has been an annual event at the Braun HQ (Kronberg, Germany) for these people to come together. Initially, it was held multiple times per year, but it was later decided that once per year was better.

When I learned about this event last year from a collector in Turkey (thank you, Cem!), I planned a trip to Frankfurt for this year's Braun Börse. It was the perfect place for any Braun or Dieter Rams enthusiasts.

Several iconic Braun Watches from Dietrich Lubs and Dieter Rams

The event starts at 10 a.m. and ends at 4 p.m., though I've seen people arrive earlier. Entry is 4 euros, and there is coffee and cake, as well as a street food vendor outside the venue selling several snacks.

What can you find there? Of course, mostly Braun products from the '60s, '70s, and '80s, but also other brands, such as Apple, Herman Miller, Vitsoe, Lamy, Olivetti, and many others. It's not a huge place but quite compact and dense.

On the shelves and tables, you can find several products: Hi-Fi products, hair dryers, fans, watches (such as the AW50 I've reviewed in the past), posters, juicers, razors (lots of them), and many more.

It's the perfect place to find the particular products you were looking for or products you didn't know existed. For example, I met Jaro Gielens, the author of the Soft Electronics book. He was a great person and even signed the book for me.

Here, I discovered the Braun 550 Hair dryer in a stunning orange color (and purchased one!). The price usually changes depending on the condition. For example, beaten-up versions and used ones sell for around 30-40 euros but rarely used ones sell for more.

Various Braun razor models (there are collectors specialized in collecting razors only)

Some iconic Braun radios are stacked up for sale (such as the Braun SK1 in the middle). The SK1 in the picture looks new because the body was painted and restored. These pieces don't cost a lot of money. Pieces rarely touched and in good condition sell for very high prices.

Algol: the *Brionvega television*, an iconic collectible product designed by M. Zanuso, allows viewing even when the device is placed on the ground. As you can see, you can also find non-Braun devices.

The stacked boxes on the left were boxes for kids to build and experiment with various electronic components.

In the middle is the Braun T52, a portable radio designed by Dieter Rams in 1961. It's based on the "transistor 1" radio from 1957. It has inspired other products, such as the OB-4 from Teenage Engineering (2022).

Braun HL1 Tischlüfter (Ventilator). It’s an iconic piece because of its use when President Kennedy gave a speech at the Frankfurter Paulskirche in 1963.

The fair venue was compact and not crowded in the morning. However, it was overwhelming, so it's better to do multiple passes as you see things that you didn't see earlier. This was eye-opening for me.

In the end, I purchased several goods from the event and left with a big smile. Here is an overview of what I've got:

There are several things here, from the top left to the bottom right:

Braun AW 20 Watch
Braun AW 10 Watch
Stainless Steel Milanese Bracelet for Braun AW watches
Braun 550 Hairdryer
The book: Braun, Fifty Years of Design and Innovation
Braun Citromatic MPZ2
Limited Edition Braun ET66 Calculator in White
Nutcracker from menu.as
"Soft Electronics" book
A no-name stainless steel mug for small liquids
A book about Hans Gugelot (in German)
Flyer about various Braun watches.

I added to my Braun Watch collection the AW 20 and AW 10

The Braun ET66 calculator is a well-known iconic design. Although the white version is no longer produced, I’m happy to find one at the fair.

Braun MPZ2 Citromatic was another design icon I purchased from the fair. The condition is fairly good, and I plan to use it at home.

Verdict

This is my first visit to the Braun Börse fair. I loved the overall vibe, the people, and the energy filling the space. Next year I plan to come up with a more clearer list of things I want to get and also meet other fellow Braun enthusiasts.