A spirited journey through the world of collectible artisan puzzles
Pairing craft cocktails with crafty puzzles
Jack in the Box
Perhaps it is no surprise then that a puzzle box can serve as a biography of a life as well. It seems perfectly fitting that someone who has spent a lifetime with puzzles should write their own autobiography into the wood.
Birthday Surprise
The “Birthday Surprise” is a very limited edition, sequential discovery puzzle box which holds a surprising reward, should you be clever enough to find it, perfectly protected inside.
Quartet Box
The follow up puzzle to the Ixia Flower Box also utilizes the cutoffs from other productions that Juno hated to waste. He created little flowers on the Ixia box with them, and he created outright gears for the Quartet Box.
Popplock T11
Rainer Popp is a German craftsman who has turned his passion for restoring and collecting vintage antique locks into his own brand of modern day puzzle locks. Because of his skill and creativity, many believe that he is the greatest puzzle lock maker living today.
Ze Super Pen
Stephen Chin, the madman wood turner well known for making tippy tops, whistles, eggs and spheres out of beautiful wood has set his considerable talent to fine writing implements as well.
Blackjack Cake
Blackjack Cake is an innocent and tempting looking treat. It appears to be a chocolate layer cake with a splash of chocolatey sauce drizzled over top and oozing down the sides.
The Turing Chest
Art Deco meets Japanese tradition in this masterpiece by Nicholas Phillips. Nicholas is an American furniture maker and woodworker, who holds a PhD in theoretical physics and worked as a mathematician with NASA for much of his life.
The Apothecary Chest
Robert Yarger is a modern day puzzle box apothecary, producing the equivalent of such enrichment in wood.
Butterfly Box (Pleasure and Pain)
Now for something pleasant. And painful. From the international man of mystery and mayhem, the Dutch devil of devious delights – that’s right, Wil Strijbos, the brilliant puzzle designer from the Netherlands – comes more mischievous merriment.
Tin Woodman
We’re off to see the wizard this week as we get slightly sentimental. Created as part of the Karakuri Creation Group’s “Story” exhibition, the Tin Woodman from Japanese artist Yoh Kakuda might just melt your heart.
Pinko Ringo / Ze Orange
This time the fruits of his labor have yielded an orange, complete with a silver stem. It’s a lovely piece of art and would be perfectly satisfying as an exceptionally skillful bit of wood turning, complete with textured skin.
Gordian Knot
The legend of the Gordian Knot dates back to ancient Macedonia, when a prophecy telling of a man driving an oxcart into the capital city of Phrygia came true and Gordia became king.
Salt and Pepper Shakers
The deviously puzzling Sandfield brothers, Robert and Norman, designed their Salt and Pepper Shakers to exchange at IPP 22 held in Antwerp in 2002.
Pirate’s Wallet (Stickman No 27)
What perfect puzzle awaits our picaroon pirates today? Why, it's the aptly named “Pirate’s Wallet”, created by none other than that Admiral of the Black, Robert Yaaaaarrrger.
Tinker Box
The Tinker Box is a gorgeous piece of woodwork which requires 49 steps to reveal all three secret compartments. The main structure is made from beautiful leopardwood and gives the box a striking patterned appearance.
Victorian Book
Appearing as though it were plucked from the shelf of an old library hidden away inside the musty mansion of some secret society, the “Victorian Book” puzzle box, by Jesse Born from New York State, exudes an instant air of mystery.