Woodwink Puzzle Box

[MBD]

Is anyone familiar with this type of mechanism?

   The maker is Peter Cook, an Australian....

To see the box go to http://www.scarabwood.com/artworks.html
  click on second to last item in the second row.

Here is some additional information from Peter:
Only a small number of these remain in my possession and are available for
sale at $750.00.
I don't currently have any other puzzleboxes for sale.
 

[jstrayer]

I have contacted Peter concerning this box and will post here if and when I find out more.  Also note that the price is in Australian dollars.

[MBD]

Thanks Jim.

Happy Square Root Day 
03/03/09
 next one will not be until 04/04/16

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Square_root_day

[Trooper]

For those interested I asked Peter a while back about this box.  Here is his reply. 

"The Woodwink puzzlebox was first produced/released as a limited editionartwork in the early 1990s. They were made in a fixed edition of 250 numbered pieces. Only a small number of these remain in my possession andare available for sale at AUD$750.00. I don't currently have any other puzzleboxes for sale, although we areworking through the early stages of a new edition planned for release 2010."

$750 AUD is about $465 USD. 

Regards,
Dave

[jstrayer]

Here is more info from Pete Cook on the Woodwink box and the Scarab company.  And, before anyone asks, yeah, I am in the process of ordering one ...

The full edition of 250 Woodwinks took some 1600 hours to craft - 100 boxes
were finished in 1993, 20+30 boxes in 1995, then the final 100 boxes in
1997. The Woodwink now resides in collections in some 15 countries around
the world, many quite notable such as Jerry Slocum's Puzzle Museum in
Beverly Hills, Hollywood. Another is with Graham Moss, long time film and
video boss with the Rolling Stones. (He bought one when the band played here
in Perth in 1994. His old mate Charlie Watts collects automata and loves the
Woodwink!).

Alongside the production of the Woodwink, before Scarab was born in 1998, a
number of more elaborate one-off puzzleboxes were designed and built for
private clients. One of the most notable was the Goldbox (profiled in the
2001 book Celebrating Boxes, and featured in the Gallery section of the
Scarab website - click on the large image for a further pop-up with exploded
view). At the other end of the spectrum are far more sculptural puzzleboxes
such as 'Lines of Containment 3', featured again on the scarab site and in
the 2005 book 400 Boxes.

Works like these set the scene for Scarab. Since 1998, my efforts have been
focused on collaborating with Ian in developing Scarab as a functioning fine
wood design/production house. The goal has always been to reach a point
where works like the Woodwink can be produced as a team effort, with the
resources of a professional business structure, allowing us to resolve and
produce these designs far more effectively. During this time a number of new
puzzlebox designs have been developed and await their time to join the
Woodwink.

Scarab is now coming of age. The recent completion of phase one of the
'Labyrinth' project - the 'Girschik Music Box' - is a significant milestone.
(Download PDFs 'Labyrinth' & 'Girschik Music Box' from the site
http://www.scarabwood.com/newsarchive.html).

Over the coming years new limited edition puzzleboxes will begin to emerge.
The journey continues!

[Canuck]

Thanks for all the info Jim, quite the story behind the 'Woodwink'

[jstrayer]

I promised a few of you that I would report on the Woodwink here when I received it.

The box exhibits some of the finest craftsmanship that I have seen.  There are absolutely no flaws.  The box comes well-packaged in a presentation pressboard box lined with satin and a scrolled certificate of authenticity.  The mechanism is not overly difficult but is different than any other box in my collection.  The bottom of the interior is lined in leather (an unexpected, but pleasant, aroma when the box is opened) and contains a sterling silver maker's mark displaying the limited edition number and the year of manufacture.  I eagerly await Peter's new work (he is developing a series of puzzle boxes called the Labyrinth series ... similar to Kagen Schaefer's Waterfall series.)

His work is expensive.  Quite expensive.  The Woodwink was AU$750. 

[Canuck]

Thanks Jim   That was very nice of you to get back to us about the puzzlebox...do you have a link of description/photo on your website?

[jstrayer]

Yes, I do now!

Go to: http://www.lhup.edu/jstrayer/Cook.htm

[Canuck]

Thanks Jim...the box looks very nice and of course the woods used are spectacular!

[Arc Light]

Excellent Jim, Love your web site, I could spend hours just checking out your great photos of your collection, thanks again for put the site online!!!

[Roby]

Don't forget that it is the only place where my total collection can be seen in one place.

[MBD]

I am looking forward to his Labyrinth series too.
Interesting to see if he makes 250 of each again...

[Canuck]

I am looking forward to his Labyrinth series too.
Interesting to see if he makes 250 of each again...

250 puzzleboxes...'what the freaking freak' 

[MBD]

 

Yea, Roby, you should send them some of your stuff to see if they can re-create it... 250 new Beasts or Chess Boxes with an Australian touch... roos and koualas on the sides of the chess box....