9-Piece Egg & 8- and 3-Piece Burrs

It’s three-for-one month this time.

This beautiful artefact originates from Java.  It is new but made from recycled salvaged teak, possibly from the frame of a leper cart. It is about the same size as a rugby ball.  The plain key piece, shown partly removed in the left picture, weighs a fraction less than 12 ounces, and measures by 6x2x2 inches.

It is clearly not a very difficult puzzle, but I fell in love with it, for its beauty and craftsmanship, at a market craft stall, Art Asia, in Cambridge.  It is very

highly polished on the outside, and oiled on the inside.

From the same source comes item two this month, an eight-piece burr. As can be seen the pieces form a solid block, 3x2.5x2 inches, held in place by a plain key piece.

It is roughly cut, but has an interestingly shaped piece, shown laying flat in the picture, which helps hold it in place before inserting the key.

Item three is a fairly simple burr, but unlike any in my collection, again made from reclaimed teak.  Art Asia, in Cambridge, don’t have  a web site. Look for them at the

Saturday market. They were there in 2000.

www.flickr.com