Puzzle, Yamoto Block Puzzle
date: label: date made
content: ca 1920-1970
notes: label: Description
content: This Japanese puzzle is composed of six differently notched rods of wood that fit together to form the symmetrical puzzle that you see illustrated on the front of the box. The idea of wooden interlocking puzzles came from carpenters that made ancient wooden shrines in Japan. These shrines would not be able to withstand earthquakes with nails and glue, so wood with interlocking joints was used in place of other materials.
label: Description
content: Interest in such puzzles began when Japan was closed to the outside world from the mid-seventeenth century until the mid-nineteenth century. Even in much of the twentieth century, objects with the word “Japan” on them had a certain allure.
label: Description
content: The puzzle pieces fit in a box with instructions.
label: Description
content: This object was a part of the collection of the Washingtonian Edith Meggers.
label: Description
content: Compare 2015.3004.01, an example of the puzzle owned by mathematician Olive C. Hazlett.
label: Description
content: Reference:
label: Description
content: Jerry Slocum and Rik van Grol , “Early Japanese Export Puzzles: 1860s to 1969s”, <i>Puzzlers’ Tribute A Feast for the Mind</i>, eds. David Wolfe and Tom Rodgers, Natick, Massachusetts: A K Peters, 2002, pp. 257-272.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: Japan
topic: label: Subject
content: Mathematics
label: Subject
content: Mathematical Recreations
setName: label: See more items in
content: Medicine and Science: Mathematics
label: See more items in
content: Science & Mathematics
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of Edith R. Meggers
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: MA.335284
label: catalog number
content: 335284
label: accession number
content: 314637
objectType: label: Object Name
content: Puzzle
label: Object Name
content: puzzle
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: wood (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: paper (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 1 cm x 6 cm x 6 cm; 13/32 in x 2 3/8 in x 2 3/8 in