Closterman 5x5x8 Cage #6 by Don Closterman (2006)

I was really surprised by the size and heft of this beautiful framed burr puzzle by Don.

Until I got this puzzle I’m sad to say I wasn’t aware of Don’s work so of course I turned to google to glean the following along with the original listing in Paradise.

Please message me if you have any other info to add, as I’d gladly add it here, thanks John 

“Closterman 5×5×8 Cage #6 designed and crafted by Don Closterman in 2006.

These don't come up often and they are beautiful, fun and challenging.

in S. American Yellowheart, labeled (C-1-200-13-9)

 175 × 110 × 110 mm

Don's designs are infamous for the complexity of design and smooth operation.  Note the superb edge and corner finishing.  13 pieces.  Original solution and assembly instructions included.

Rob's puzzle page notes:

"... A beautiful series of interlocking, sequential (dis)assembly polycube puzzles in cages.

Closterman identifies his puzzles using a code of the form T-S-N-P-M, where:

T is the type of puzzle – C for cage

S is an arbitrary identifier Closterman assigns to a given design with a particular solution method

N is simply the number of cubies in the overall puzzle, which seems to include empty spaces (e.g. 6x6x6 = 216)

P is the number of pieces including the cage

M is the number of moves to remove the first piece, which seems to be omitted if it is only 1 move.

Don Closterman Bio:

Don passed away in 2010. 

A Rhode Island native he was a master of puzzle design. Each Closterman cube puzzle limited production series had its own unique design, Rare and collectible

Closterman cube puzzles, like this one, and other varieties in many levels of difficulty were made from time to time in other woods, including mahogany, yellowheart, american hickory, canary wood, bloodwood, purple heart, African padauk and kiaat”