Robert, who made the Shadow gun Grips, actually does collect these!

Stunning! Living art! and such dedication you have for the work to sustain.
Live coral is like trees in the wind on a mountain....stunning to watch.

I have Exotic Puzzle and Puzzle Boxes, Meteors, Fossils, and Archaeology.

DSCF0841 (resized).JPG

DSCF0844 (resized).JPG

I have boxes of Swarovski Crystals.....of you want to make your own!

Check out newcomer Jesse Born:

https://www.facebook.com/Jesse-Born-Wood-Design-1006444846143374

Are you going to IPP in San Diego?

Glad you were able to make contact with Jesse.
He has the passion to make some nice pieces.....hes so young!

IPP, for others, International Puzzle Party, is definitely worth going!
Its held once a year, somewhere in the world, so its not often in the US.
Its in San Diego this Summer.

Similar to a pin show, with way too much to drink, the only difference is while many will play with their toys till the wee hours, like pinball,
the collection of people is a rare group of Crazies, and double and triple Doctorates.
In DC, I ran in to an old man, looked like Edward G Robinson. Struck up a conversation, and turned out I used his Fortran Book in College!
He helped create the Language!

People travel from all over the world.

Do others who have collections go to shows? Comic Con?.....

Got a bunch.....use to call them my pets! Loved digging them up!

Some, just blow me away!

pasted_image (resized).png

Art Book Fairs? I had no idea! Ill have to look out for that.

At the Miami Ape Pinball show a few years back, we stayed at a hotel that had hundreds of Cosplay attendees.....I had never heard or seen this before!
I woke up and looked out my door and nearly fell over at the site!

I would expect, as I enjoy car shows, toy shows, etc....this thread is exciting to me to see the things that also interest us, that I would never have come across
before!

Is this the same overseas?

Pat on the back for Pinsiders...we are a diversified bunch!

A New Toy arrived today from Germany!

Ranier Popp and his 11th piece and is MASSIVE!
Over 2 Kilos!
Solid, heavy....a piece of Art.

No clue...this one could take me a few years to open!

t11 (resized).jpg

http://www.popplock.com/

Not sure if any are left....

pasted_image (resized).png

Send him an email.....I dont think he ever listed......

Just to share, most puzzle locks that are custom made in limited numbers are around $400-$500 when released.
This one was a beast at just under $900.

If one likes the puzzle aspect, mass produced puzzles will peek at around $50-$100 from a designer.
There are some good buys and experiences.

This is one of my favorites, and is mass produced by Wil Strijbos, around $150 ish. First Box.
Real good indestructible gateway into the hobby.

and another picture of the metal puzzle genre

Online catalog for commercial and some designer

https://www.puzzlemaster.ca/browse/wire/locks/

pasted_image (resized).png

pasted_image (resized).png

I have received quite a few emails, so i hope you dont mind another post.
I enjoy these rare puzzles, as a Toy, Art, and investment.
I cant promise anything, but the appreciation has exceeded anything else Ive invested it.
When an Artist gets discovered, it becomes almost impossible to get on their "list", as they make maybe 1 a year, only 50 or so.

A New Artist, Jesse Born, has come on the scene, and is getting his work heralded by the masters.
Hes young, but exceptional, and he just released a puzzle Today for sale.
They should sell out in anywhere from a day to a couple weeks, but I thought Id share.

Heres his latest video and work....Pi Box, in honor of Pi Day!

Website to order:

https://www.jesseborn.com/

Art

pasted_image (resized).png

Awesome! I felt Id never see these names mentioned in a sentence together!

My Friend, Robert, designed the mechanisms.....he also is the artist who did The Shadow Gun Grips.

Id love to have one!

Sure! Puzzle Locks exists as tricks, 1-5 "steps"
and harder, "puzzles"

https://www.puzzlemaster.ca/search/all/?q=puzzle+lock

Shows a wide variety, although many are a bit over priced, IMO.

Here is some more:

http://www.brilliantpuzzles.com/Lock-Puzzles.html

A 4 Key quality antique repro padlock, I have extras on, they are under $50 shipped.
The version pictured I have also in antiqued black.

s-l1600 (5) (resized).jpg

4 or 5 steps? I guess.

This grade mostly sells for $60-$85, so its a good deal, as there re poor quality ones out there.

It depends on how hard you want a puzzle to be.
When it comes to locks, specifically, a trick lock means once you learn it, its easily repeated.
A puzzle lock, can take a long time, or be "playable".

Puzzlemaster.ca ranks puzzles by hardness, and has designer, designer mass produced, and commercial.

Heres entry Level, say for an interested, but not wanting a heavy challenge young age...
https://www.puzzlemaster.ca/browse/inventors/3274-schiebeschloss-sliding-lock?image=7158

and one a bit harder:

https://www.puzzlemaster.ca/browse/inventors/constantin/8415-alphalock?image=12094

This is one of my favorites:
https://www.puzzlemaster.ca/browse/wood/3dwood/5098-labyschloss

Lock around...they have killer boxes, and the skill level helps.
Overall, $50-$100 can buy a lot of fun time!

pasted_image (resized).png

pasted_image (resized).png

pasted_image (resized).png

forgot about this thread.....heres a couple of my newest additions.

pasted_image (resized).png

popplock_T12 (resized).jpeg

I havent figured out how to open any!

I do try. Some are not so "playable" meaning you get stumped easy, dont advance, and it makes it hard to go further.
Other Puzzles have "playability", you get movement, and progress, but it isnt always right, but you can see your efforts.
A Rubiks Cube being a prime example of motion and playability.
A Solid cube with no movement, not as much fun.

I do Collect some that I havent tried yet. As investments, they have been great. Others I might have a week into. I am just really lousy
at solving.

Its quite a rewarding opportunity, if you can create or design, Adam.
Feel free to PM me if I can help, or put you in touch with others.

Some Mutistep puzzle boxes have forwards and backwards movements, that get confused, and take you backwards! Heres a 324 move, traditional Japanese version.

I wanted to share some new pieces Ive added!

First is a Light Box puzzle. Its not overly complicated, or hard, but Visually its a really neat piece.
I also have added this as an educational piece. With my Granddaughter back at 1-1/2, She has taken to this.

Next up is a Rize Art Object....Boy, this is one sweet Desk Toy, and a nice gift! Another exploration piece!

Last 2 are a Tycho puzzle, and cheese puzzle, one for looks, the other for the little lady.

http://212box.com/lightbox3
https://vimeo.com/182137689

https://shop.mtr-designs.com/

pasted_image (resized).png

pasted_image (resized).png

pasted_image (resized).png

Basketball or Baseball? Just checking as not too many kids were into Basketball Cards....

Wow, Good Luck if you can get one, they do go into the thousands after release!
They can also be found on Cubicdissection Auctions, and http://puzzles.baxterweb.com/

Thanks for the offer, I hope my wife keeps them all way after I die.

Danlocks are a great puzzle! I havent chatted with Dan in a while, and I see his son is making some.

They even are on Amazon. The Original Danlock is under priced at around $200 ish...

The Titan Lock at $100 is a nice trick lock.

Glad you found this crazy hobby, its exploding.
And like pinball 7 years ago or so, people are buying and selling with crazy profits, on limited pieces.

Im working on a Russian Puzzle, Verticale, only 10 made, with 15,000 moves! Nicely 3D printed.

pasted_image (resized).png

pasted_image (resized).png

Congrats!
Where did you find the T12?
I can imagine the look on your face when you hold that beast for the first time!

I too, havent got past step 1...No cheating by reading solution or videos..
I have not succeeded on any of Raniers Locks.

Youll likely be able to Enjoy for as long as you wish, and then resale on Cubic or Baxterweb.
Should bring $1800-$3500...That will make you happy!

Something moves. Sometimes there are dead ends, other times, you end up reversing your moves.
If you find the first move within 4 hours, thats pretty amazing!

Oh, I agree. I have a huge collection. Many are there for the Art, and the Value.
I truly cant spend hours and get no where, so it better appeal to me in other ways.

Take a Rubiks cube. Ive never solved, nor do I care to, but its fun to play with.
Some puzzles are like that, and those appeal to me.
Others, will spend hours, or weeks to do one. Im happy for them, but I cant do it. Too old.

There is an Auction today, at 3 PM. Last one sold out in less than 3 minutes, due to demand.
As an example, here is one, that looks cool, but Never would I have the Patience to put back together!

Another, one I helped create, is an endless series of small moves, to get 2 halfs of a Key out, and then moves to get to
the keyhole. I find this fun, because something always moves......

and a video from Chris Ramsey on a 10K Box, my friend designed...worth a watch to see something really special.

pasted_image (resized).png

pasted_image (resized).png

All over the place....Non Working, and beat $200-$300. Sometimes as much as $500, after Auction Fees and Sales Tax.
Working, mostly, but worn, needing resto, $600-$1200, depending on game, and how much work.
Mostly restored, Restored $1800-$2500
New, Around $4K.
At IAPPA, Chinese Companies had there Floor samples sold for $3K.

Time to pack these up. I collected some neat pieces here. over 40 years.
Large Chunk of Pyrite, Dinosaur Bones, and Fossils.
Large Australian Opals, Iron Meteorites, and Pallasites. Crinoids, Trilobites, Baby Mammoth Tusk, and Tooth.
Quartz Geodes, and Crystals, Megalodon teeth, Fossil Fish Bed, Stromatolites, and Pyrite Sun Disks.

1 (resized).jpg2 (resized).jpg

Oh, These are in my office, that I closed 3 years ago, after selling Comet LEDs, and retiring.
Still packing up 35 years of stuff.

If you search on Ebay, there is around 30,000.
But the most abundant, coolest looking, and affordable is

Campo del Cielo meteorite

Search this, and they sell for a Couple dollars on up.

A few years Back, $50 Meteors ended up on Wood Displays, and sold in Stores like in NY, as
Ritzy gifts and marked up into the thousands. Strange Hobby and Business.

I started, when I was manufacturing Meteor, and dinosaur bone into Jewelry.

When Cut, and acid etched, some show interesting widmanstatten patterns. Others might have Olivine Crystals and are called Pallasites.

Iron Meteors, are in a way "Star poop"

pasted_image (resized).pngpasted_image (resized).pngpasted_image (resized).pngpasted_image (resized).png

I cant say Ive watched them regularly recently, But indeed They are traded by weight in Volume, and can be used
to measure cost per gram. So both?
The Rarity of the Meteor itself, based on Tonnage found, affects the price. As well as the shape, melting patterns,
and content. Rocky Meteors are for collectors, Iron ones, are great paperweights.

I liked slices, and etching, and picked up a couple Large, ultra thin etched slices.
By weight, they came out under $50, but display size, it looks like thousands.

One can even run a magnet at the bottom of a gutter drain and pick up micro meteors that hit your roof!

Searching only etched meteorite, is around 800 listings, and a good way to narrow, what might interest someone.

Most Iron Meteorites dont rust, and are historically important. Tut ankh Amun, has a Dagger, made from Meteorite.
There is a Large Pillar in Delphi, India for 1600 years, and even Abrahams Meteor is in the kaaba at Mecca. ( The Square Black covered Stone Temple in Mecca, that is worshipped in the Hajj) is a Meteor.
pasted_image (resized).pngpasted_image (resized).pngpasted_image (resized).png

OK, so I looked through completed sales....I have plenty I can offer at my cost, and still save you guys some money over Ebay.
Ill take clearer pictures shortly...Id rather the unique pieces I collected get enjoyed, then go in a box.

I have some slices, discs, cubes, trim, as well as some glass domes, and some Metal ID signs...
Might take a couple days, but feel tree to shoot me a PM.

Did the size and weight surprise you?

Share your thoughts.....

Nice Trilobite, Ted....I gave mine names.
"Spot", was my first, around 1967, picked up in a Long Beach Rock show, after Spot on the Munsters. These guys would have been tough to enjoy the shoreline...

Added a couple recently.....

(Love the audio collection!!!!)

pasted_image (resized).png

pasted_image (resized).png

pasted_image (resized).png

Do we have any firearm experts here?
I have some colt factory blueprints and pieces I'd like to sell.
Family worked as a designer there 50 plus years ago. Here is a small "model"

20201020_115348 (resized).jpg

20201020_115401 (resized).jpg

Those are Amazing! And few I haven't seen! I find them mesmerizing!

Some New Additions in the Puzzle World!....
pasted_image (resized).pngpasted_image (resized).pngpasted_image (resized).pngpasted_image (resized).pngpasted_image (resized).png

pasted_image (resized).png

Another New Piece Coming.

https://www.boxesandbooze.com/boxesandbooze/sundial

pasted_image (resized).png

pasted_image (resized).png

Oh yes! And Sometimes its harder to reset, than it is to open.

Often a designers headache. Great Puzzle designs never released because its too difficult to put back.

Some fail. I have a couple that need to go back to the creator, to do so.

Humiliating, for sure, but some guys can spend hours or weeks (even years) trying to solve, but I personally loose
patience, and then its on the shelf to taunt me of my failures.

The people creating n this Hobby, are of unique cerebral intelligence...not meaning better, just
a mindset, I cant fathom.

Robert, that helped design this, has been a good friend for almost 40 years.
Jesse Born achieved the puzzle, Young, and Brilliant, as the rest of us get too old.

There is another big auction this weekend on Cubicdissection.com

I couldnt find the currency ad, but was part of this ad in the 60s, when Boxes of stamps would cover the table

Also coin collecting, and the ads from Littleton Coin Co.

Speaking of Books, as well I have 30 Plus Hardcover mostly read once, James Rollins, and Clive Cussler, if anyone is a reader and wants them.

pasted_image (resized).png

Some New Editions

pasted_image (resized).jpeg

pasted_image (resized).png

pasted_image (resized).png

I started assembling this one....

pasted_image (resized).png

Sure. I did the kickstarter, but the company is here in France:

https://nkd-puzzle.com/en/do-it-yourself-puzzle-box-/60-puzzle-box-architecto-en-kit-.html

In Canada, with free shipping, or on New Years they run a 20% sale.

https://www.puzzlemaster.ca/browse/games/models/woodenmodels/16431-architecto-wooden-diy-puzzle-box-kit

Heres another one they made...steampunk:

pasted_image (resized).png