Sources page biographical material

6.W.3. THREE PIECE BURR WITH IDENTICAL PIECES
See S&B, p. 66.
Crambrook. 1843. P. 5, no. 4: Puzzling Cross 3 pieces. This seems likely to be a three piece burr, but perhaps is in 6.W.1 -- ?? It is followed by "Maltese Cross 6 pieces".

Wilhelm Segerblom. Trick wood joining. SA (1 Apr 1899) 196.

6.W.4. DIAGONAL SIX PIECE BURR = TRICK STAR
This version often looks like a stellated rhombic dodecahedron. It has two basic forms, one with a key piece; the other with all pieces identical, which assembles as two groups of three.

See S&B, p. 78.

Crambrook. 1843. P. 5, no. 5: Maltese Cross 6 [pieces], three sorts. Not clear if these belong here or in 6.W.2 or 6.W.5 -- ??

The Youth's Companion. 1875. [Mail order catalogue.] Reproduced in: Joseph J. Schroeder, Jr.; The Wonderful World of Toys, Games & Dolls 1860··1930; DBI Books, Northfield, Illinois, 1977?, p. 19. Star Puzzle. The picture does not show which form it is. Slocum's Compendium also shows this.

Samuel P. Chandler. US Patent 393,816 -- Puzzle. Applied: 9 Mar 1888; patented: 23 Apr 1888. 1p + 1p diagrams. Coffin says this is the earliest version, but it is more complex than usual, with 12 pieces, and has a key piece.

John S. Pinnell. US Patent 774,197 -- Puzzle. Applied: 9 Oct 1902; patented: 8 Nov 1904. 2pp + 2pp diagrams. Coffin notes that this extends the idea to 102 pieces!

William E. Hoy. US Patent 766,444 -- Puzzle Ball. Applied: 16 Oct 1902; patented: 2 Aug 1904. 2pp + 2pp diagrams. Spherical version with a key piece.

George R. Ford. US Patent 779,121 -- Puzzle. Applied: 16 May 1904; patented: 3 Jan 1905. 1p + 1p diagrams. With square rods, all identical. He shows assembly by inserting a last piece rather than joining two groups of three.

Anon. Simple wood puzzle. Hobbies 31 (No. 786) (5 Nov 1910) 127. With key piece.

E. M. Wyatt. Woodwork puzzles. Industrial Arts Magazine 12 (1923) 326 327. Version with a key piece and square rods.

Collins. Book of Puzzles. 1927. The bonbon or nut puzzle, pp. 137-139.

Iffland Frères (Lausanne). Swiss Patent 245,402 -- Zusammensetzspiel. Received: 19 Nov 1945; granted: 15 Nov 1946; published: 1 Jul 1947. 2pp + 1p diagrams. Stellated rhombic dodecahedral version with a key piece. (Coffin says this is the first to use this shape, although Slocum has a version c1875.)