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.
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.
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.
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.
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