Talking puzzles check this one out

Rob Keeble

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Location
GTA Ontario Canada
Some background for those interested.

During my career i have travelled extensively. Its been a traddition i was brought up with to take a gift when going to see someone. Funny enough they do the same in Asia and in fact the gift there adds a great deal of symbolism to the relationship. I have all sorts of nik naks from these trips.

Anyhow the issue was to come up with something more than a "made in china pen or water bottle or other piece of junk". I guess it was as a result of feeling like the poll cats of the world that coming from a country with international sanctions imposed on it, you tried to sell the country first and then your business.

Africa has little good news so to get people to trade with you in an area of hi tech takes substantial effort starting at your relationships.

I came across this puzzle and had them custom made for the company to provide as a unique gift from ourselves to either a guest or when visiting a foreign country. The box and puzzle is made from Kiaat a really nice indigenous wood. There is some about in North America at the exotic wood suppliers if you want to try some out. Its not cultivated so its becoming ever more scarce just like many other woods.

I think i have shown it before but had thought that the majority of pieces were lost years ago when my son as a toddler got at the box unknown to his parents and while i was on an overseas trip.

As luck would have it, after Dans puzzle arrived i accidently found the missing bits in a small box my wife had hidden them in.

So i set about and put it all together. I can tell you this is an 8 hour minimum puzzle. I used a sticky material called Bostik that my MIL sends to SWMBO that SWMBO thinks is general purpose hold anything together. I personally hate the stuff but in this case it came in handy holding pieces together.

So here goes

It comes in a nicely made solid Kiaat box

Africa in a box.jpg

Then the puzzle is self contained in a further holder with acrylic cover to keep pieces in. The cover is held in place by a single pin so it rotates to the side for access

Africa puzzle front side.jpg

Inside this holder is the actual puzzle and it consists of two layers. Believe it or not there is actually a 3 layer version available too.

Bottom layer.jpg

The rear of the holder

Africa puzzle.jpg

This is a poor pic of a close up showing the pieces. Should have used macro but was too rushed with pics.

Africa puzzle detail.jpg

There are two layers to this puzzle with 6 what i call zones all going in different wavy directions.

All six pieces.jpg

Each zone has a distinct cut out of an indigenous African animal.

Camel piece.jpg This piece is a camel and actuall when it comes together is located in the North East section of the continent.

Elephant piece.jpg An elephant

Giraffe piece.jpg Giraffe

Hippo Piece.jpg Hippo

On to next post for more pics
 
Puzzle part two

Lion Piece.jpg lion piece

Split in half top layer.jpg Here you can see an assembled layer that forms the top when flipped

The puzzle housing.jpg This is the empty housing

Together again.jpg The two layers together again

Puzzle going into housing.jpg
Puzzle sliding into housing

Then it goes back in the box like it started.

All the pieces have been varnished and i can assure you without the sticky stuff i would never have been able to complete it.

Quiet a challenge.

Hope you enjoyed .:)


I looked up on the web to see if they still going and sure enough the guy has a website.

You can find them here if anyone is interested. http://www.puzzleplace.co.za/
 
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That is really cool!
I would love the opportunity to build a piece of furniture for someone with that. Must look incredible with oil or waterlox bringing out the grain and colors!
 
Interesting Rob. What were the reactions to the puzzle as a gift? Did you ever get "feedback" from the recipients as the puzzle was unique or hard to do or was "the coolest gift ever"?
 
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