Two New Three Dimensional Chinese Puzzles
I have just built two new three dimensional puzzles for the Oregon Mozart Players Auction on April 7. I call them Chinese puzzles because my mother’s father had a number of similar puzzles given to him by missionaries in China. I am surprised not to see anything quite like these on the inter-net. Here are pictures showing the 32 pieces in each puzzle.
Puzzle #1: The cover on this puzzle is Cocobolo. (Dalbergia retusa) family Fabaceae (bean family, Leguminosae for old folks like me) from Central America.
Both puzzles have a simple red oak box which van be slipped over them when they are assembled on the cover provided
The picture below shows the Puzzle #1 partially assembled. In reality one should always start from one flat face on the cover and build up to the opposite flat face.
Puzzle #2 below with a cover of fragrant Verawood, Bulnesia arborea family Zygophyllaceae from Central and South America. The fragrance lasts for years.
Puzzle #2 partially assembled.
The puzzle pieces are cut out of a block of thin pieces of interesting woods glued together. Here is the list of woods I used.
Bocote = Cordia spp. family Boraginaceae from Mexico and Central America
Lacewood = Cardwellia sublimis family Proteaceae from Australia.
Purpleheart = Peltogyne spp. family Proteaceae from Central and South America.
Redheart = Erythroxylum spp. family Erythroxylaceae from Central and South America.
Red Oak = Quercus rubra Northeastern US and Canada
Rosewood = Dalbergia nigra family Fabaceae from the tropics worldwide.
Yellowheart = Euxylophora paraensis, family Rutaceae from Brazil.
Many people find these three dimensional puzzles hard to assemble. They come in a box with a lid. The puzzle should be assembled on the lid and then the box can be slid over it. I am willing to put the puzzle together up to three times over the next year. If this is actually needed I will give hints to make the process easier.
Come to the Auction and BID!!
Theodore W. Palmer 