This shoehorn by Japanese designer Oki Sato of Nendo, created for wooden furniture manufacturer Maruni, looks mysterious and sculpturesque. It is unclear at first glance what the conical object is for. But as you interact with the piece, its utilitarian function becomes apparent.

Sato explains his concept:

As the name suggests, shoehorns were first made by carving animal horns; the shearing motion of this shoehorn pays homage to its origins.

The piece consists of two parts, held together by an embedded neodymium magnet. The business part of the shoehorn can be easily separated from the weighted base with one hand. The item is carved from a single block of maple to preserve continuity of the wood grain.