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 The
price of a puzzle box will vary dramatically depending
on its origin, creator, materials used, degree of
difficulty in opening and closing, attention to detail,
and much more. Although
some puzzle boxes cost less than $30 and others more
than $500, you can keep your beautiful work of art
looking brand new with proper care.
In addition to making your puzzle box look
better, proper care will also ensure the mechanics of
the box continue working.
Puzzle
boxes are made from wood, which differs from one country
to another. Regardless
if walnut, persimmon, wax, cherry, or some other type of
wood is used, the box will expand and contract with
humidity changes. Typically, the wood will move the most going across the grain
with the least amount of movement going with the grain.
Just as with furniture, you will find that some
puzzle boxes can withstand much more than others all
because of the type of wood used.
Commonly,
cedar is used in the making of puzzle boxes, which is
easy to work with.
However, cedar has one major flaw – it is not
very stable. Because
of this, we suggest you avoid a puzzle box made from
cedar, choosing a harder wood instead such as walnut,
cherry, or teak. No
matter the type of wood your box is made with, you need
to understand that changes occurring in the winter and
summer months will have some affect.
Another consideration when buying a puzzle box is
how it is stored prior to shipment.
In this case, boxes maintained in a warehouse
that is humidity controlled will fare much better than
those that are not.
Other tips for caring for your new puzzle box
include:
Keep
displayed puzzle boxes behind glass
To
maintain proper humidity levels, a glass of water can be
placed in the display cabinet, hidden from sight
Make
sure the puzzle box does not sit in direct sunlight or
where it would be subjected to heat from appliances or
furnaces
To
keep humidity levels where they should be, a humidifier
could be used in the winter months
If
the mechanisms for opening and closing the puzzle box
have become stuck, simply place the box in a place with
proper humidity and it will resolve itself
Never
get the puzzle box wet, which could damage the wood with
rot, warping, bubbling,
and so on
Handle
the puzzle box with a soft cloth, rubber fingertips, or
soft grips to avoid scratching the wood
Never
use furniture polish on your puzzle box, even if it has
a lacquer finish. Instead,
high quality wood wax would restore shine.
When
storing your puzzle box, make sure the doors and other
openings are in the closed position
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