Up for auction is a truly unique piece of mechanical puzzle history: an original, hand-cut working prototype straight from the personal estate collection of the late master puzzle designer, Bill Darrah.
This item is a 6-piece interlocking burr puzzle. What makes this piece extraordinary is that it is not a finalized production model, but a raw, physical "first draft" created by Darrah himself. The pieces feature original, hand-cut notches complete with the visible saw marks and minor adjustments that are characteristic of a designer actively testing a new geometric concept or interlocking mechanism in their workshop.
Item Details:
Puzzle Type: 6-Piece Interlocking Burr
Designer / Maker: Bill Darrah (Working Prototype)
Material: Softwood (Likely pine/basswood, typical for prototyping)
Condition: Excellent, fully functional prototype condition. The cuts are raw and unpolished by design, providing a genuine look into the creator's physical design process.
Provenance: Bill Darrah Personal Estate Collection
This is a one-of-a-kind opportunity for serious mechanical puzzle collectors and IPP historians to own a direct piece of Bill Darrah's creative process. It is a museum-quality artifact of puzzle design.
Shipping determined at close of auction.