I am currently attempting to turn regular 5 layer Chinese balls. These are extremely difficult and frustrating to make. I cannot imagine the time, effect and patience that went into making your phenominal puzzle balls. I would only hope that someone has passed down the skill in making these somewhere in the world. I would hate to see such things of beauty become extinct. Thank you for sharing........you have renewed my hopes of fininshing one that is a hundred times simplier, but yet still holds a chanllenge.
hiber Native, When I was growing up in New York City Chinatown in 1963, I have seen things probably no one would believe, for example, hundreds of tiger skins were lying out in the Columbus Park being dry in the sun. Mind you, Columbus Park is next to Manhattan criminal court and 1 block from the Southern District of Federal Court and is surrounded by many more government agencies. Let me now move to the so-called puzzle balls. I don't know who came up with the silly name. At any rate, what we Chinese value is, of course, the precious ivory, even more so is the carving of the rolling balls because the layer upon layers of balls is unbroken. Just the carving one rolling ball after the next and the next one down to 9, 15, 25, etc, is mind-boggling. And I have seen many genuine ivory tusks rolling balls in the early days in NYC Chinatown. Many celebrities may go there to purchase antique stuff in Chinatown. I often see Frank Sartre, Danny Kay, and others in Chinatown.
