 WALLY
Original selling price
AUD220.00
NOTE: Original selling
price in USD was 118.80. In June 2008 one of these puzzles sold
at Baxterweb Puzzle Auctions, Featuring the Ron Zezima Collection
for USD 1061.00.
To combat earthquakes
a building construction using interlocking wooden pieces has
been used in Japan for centuries.
During the Edo period (1603-1868) Masters made models of the
corner joints to teach apprentices the construction method. It
is likely although unproven that this lead to the origins of
the Japanese interlocking puzzles called kumiki.
Whilst WALLY is modelled after the kumiki technique the pieces
are Mr Puzzle’s own design. WALLY is much larger than the
usual size these puzzles are made in Japan to accommodate a complex
lock not seen in traditional kumiki designs. You will need to
negotiate this lock before you can take the puzzle apart and
understand it to be able to put the puzzle back together.
Clue: What do crocodiles do apart from just eating tourists?
WALLY is crafted from Australian Blackbean.
Size: Nose to tail 510mm Toe to toe 120mm
THE DIAGONAL BURR
Original selling price
AUD140.00
Using diagonally oriented wooden pieces has been a distinct feature
of wooden interlocking puzzles made in Finland for over 100 years.
The National Museum in Helsinki exhibits a diagonal burr made
around 1910 but it is known that as early as 1888 Chandler patented
a 13 piece diagonal burr.
Diagonal burrs are said to have been made by lumberjacks in camp
for over 60 years, are known to have been made by Finnish soldiers
in the trenches in WWII and as recently as 1985 were being made
by Finnish puzzle designer Matti Linkola, but these days are
not commonly made.
We expect this 25 piece version to be quite a handful.
The puzzle is made from North Queensland Rose Alder.
Size: Each piece is 200mm x 30mm x 30mm. Shipped assembled into
a 200mm x 200mm x 200mm cube shape.
MERLIN'S EYE
Original selling price
AUD140.00
Firstly, can you free
Merlin’s Eye from the maze without taking any of the ropes
out of the mouths of the dragons?
Then you can disassemble the puzzle completely to reveal a new
challenge; that of assembling the dodecahedron shape again and
enclosing Merlin’s Eye again.
Merlin may have indeed used magic to assemble this puzzle; we
hope you can you see success by looking into the future using
Merlin’s Eye.
The puzzle is made from 10 sticks of Blackbean capped with 20
hand cast pewter dragon heads. It is presented on a pentagonal
Blackbean base and is available with either a clear or green
glass ball.
The puzzle was originally invented by Geoffrey A. Mogilner and
R. D. Johnson and patented in USA 24 October 1972.
Size: The diameter of the base is 130mm and the assembled puzzle
fits approximately within a 135mm cube. From dragon nose to nose
each stick is 150mm long. |
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