Tibor Kalman Global Alphabet Blocks by IC Design

Thirty alphabet blocks printed with five of the world’s scripts, designed in 1991 by Tibor Kalman of M&Co.

Tibor Kalman’s Global Alphabet Blocks print Arabic, Cyrillic, Hebrew, Hiragana and Latin letters on the sides of 30 blocks, packed in a cardboard gift box of 10.25 × 11.8 × 2 inches. Kalman designed them in 1991 with Scott Stowell at his studio M&Co.

Kalman (1949–1999), an American graphic designer of Hungarian descent, founded M&Co. in 1979, naming it after his wife Maira. His products often carried his humanist views, and the AIGA awarded him its medal the year he died. With these blocks he used a familiar educational toy to say that all languages belong to one human family.

Specifications

• Brand: IC Design (Zurich)
• Model: Tibor Kalman Global Alphabet Blocks
• Designer: Tibor Kalman with Scott Stowell (M&Co.), 1991
• Materials: Cardboard gift box
• Contents: 30 alphabet blocks
• Scripts: Arabic, Cyrillic, Hebrew, Hiragana (Japanese) and Latin/Roman letters
• Package (gift box) dimensions: 10.25" × 11.8" × 2"
• Item number (MPN): IC-GAB

Features

• Cardboard gift box
• Designed by Tibor Kalman with Scott Stowell (M&Co.) (1991)
• IC Design edition

Best for

Shelves, design collections, multilingual households and gifts for graphic designers. Also from IC Design: Antonio Vitali 2 Rocking Ducks, Antonio Vitali Fox, Cy Endfield Travel Chess Set.

Who this is not for

• Anyone who needs it within a day or two: it ships in 2–3 business days.
• Shoppers looking for a mass-produced lookalike: this is a licensed IC Design edition, and the details reflect that.

Why we carry it

We’ve been curating design-led pieces since 2009. IC Design is the Zurich company behind licensed re-editions of 20th-century artist and designer objects, made with museums, estates and foundations.

Buy once: durability and care

Our advice: wipe with a dry cloth and keep the blocks dry.

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Tibor Kalman Global Alphabet Blocks?

See the specifications above.

What is the Tibor Kalman Global Alphabet Blocks made of?

Cardboard gift box.

Is the Tibor Kalman Global Alphabet Blocks a children’s toy?

We sell it as a design object. Keep it out of reach of young children.

How do I care for the Tibor Kalman Global Alphabet Blocks?

Our advice: wipe with a dry cloth and keep the blocks dry.

How fast does the Tibor Kalman Global Alphabet Blocks ship?

Ships in 2–3 business days.

Gifting & trade orders

Buying several as gifts, or for a shop, museum store or interior project? Contact us for quantities.

Trade pricing for design professionals

Interior designers, architects, contractors and builders can apply to the MetropolitanDecor Trade Program for trade pricing on IC Design and the rest of our catalog, a dedicated trade support line, and free catalogs and finish swatches. Applying takes about three minutes; our trade team reviews every application personally, usually within one business day. Furnishing a hotel suite, a children’s space or a shop display? Contact us with items and quantities and we’ll confirm availability.

Shipping & returns

Ships in 2–3 business days.

Orders over $100 ship free by ground to the 48 contiguous states. All sales are final, so check the size and specifications above before ordering; if your order arrives damaged or isn’t what you ordered, contact us within 48 hours of delivery with photos and we’ll make it right.

Please note: Because this item is made to order or specially sourced, it is final sale.