1980s Merit Magic Cube Desk Stationery Set

It doesn’t get much more “80s” than this…!  A must-have for any self-respecting desktop in the decade that brought us the New Romantics, shoulder pads, lycra and leg warmers, t-shirt slogans, and the Memphis Style, this is the Merit Magic Cube. A cube of black plastic which contains a variety of colourful stationery items/tools cleverly integrated into the shape. Whether they were actually usable or practical is a debateable point, but the angular and colourful design now looks incredibly retro and is very appealing. The cube is complete in terms of the tools (tape dispenser, pen, clock, knife, scissors, tape measure, magnetic paper clip holder) but the pen and clock might need attention (new ink and battery respectively), and it comes with the original box and instructions. The eagle-eyed will note that a corner piece can be removed to set the cube at a jaunty angle, too!

Must-have? Probably not, but this is a super little item which represents an era almost perfectly… and there can’t be very many of them still around in this condition.