Bob Ameri (20th Century) Decorative Wooden Mechanical Telesculpture Puzzle. Two faces in a quasi-heart, fit together in intricate patterns. Signed on base. 

Condition: Commensurate with age. 

Size: 12 1/4 x 2 x 9 1/4 in. 

#3539 . 

A mechanical puzzle is a puzzle presented as a set of mechanically interlinked pieces in which the solution is to manipulate the whole object or parts of it. While puzzles of this type have been in use by humanity as early as the 3rd Century BC, one of the most well-known mechanical puzzles of modern day is the Rubik’s Cube, invented by the Hungarian architect Ernő Rubik in 1974. His work is directly descended from the geometric puzzles and thought experiments that appeared by the end of the 19th Century, as mathematicians and scientists sought physical examples to examine the intricate connections of atoms and Euclidean forms. The puzzles are typically designed for a single player, where the goal is for the player to discover the principle of the object, rather than accidentally coming up with the right solution through trial and error, and are often used as an intelligence test or in problem solving training. With the invention of modern polymers and more precise carving tools, non-geometric and more abstract works became common, even sold as mid-century modern art pieces for display in the home. These works, driven more by aesthetics than intellectual pursuits, began to appear in the 1960s, with clever puzzle boxes and innovative spiraled designs by artists like Richard Rothbard and Don Rupard flooding the market. Perhaps the most prolific of these artists was Robert “Bob” Ameri, who created increasingly more intricate pieces in the latter half of the 20th Century, earning them the nickname “Telesculpture” to differentiate them from similarly designed spiral baskets. These decorative puzzles straddle the line between sculpture and carving as much as between arts and crafts, and remain a fascinating acquisition for mathematically-minded researchers and interior designers alike.

Commensurate with age.