The game is afoot again at Cabal Manor, in Victorian era England, where noted naturalist and collector Sir Charles Allen resided, up until quite recently, that is. Mystery and intrigue abound here, along with a colorful cast of characters who are joined, naturally, by the world’s foremost consulting detective.

The evolution of Jesse Born’s craft is on full display, and he intentionally took his time with this box in order to showcase his abilities now to produce a high class, elegant and structurally sensational piece of art which also functions as a puzzle.

In 1866 (so the story goes) nations around the globe begin sighting a mysterious sea monster.

One of the most notorious criminals in US history, known for his bold and audacious acts of robbery and brutality, gained his fame the old fashioned way, through self-promotion.

Jesse Born and Robert Yarger, two of the world’s best puzzle box artists, have created a modern masterpiece of mechanical secrets.

Neverfear! I’ve just the thing for you, my boisterous Buccaneers, a treasure chest plundered by the Corsairs straight from Davey Jones Locker. How they came to acquire it, we shall never know, as dead men tell no tales.

The provenance of the name, “Secretum Cista”, is rather auspicious and steeped in mystery. From the Latin, “Secretum” has many translations, notably “secret seal”, or more simply just “secret”.

Some ideas have existed forever, since time and consciousness alike, have always been, and some ideas are Born.

Jesse Born is full of interesting ideas and he has produced another beautiful piece of work. He understands the attraction of an item which can be carried and used day to day, with a secret.

Jesse Born is back at it again with a true show stopper. The Pi Box is his most extravagant and complex piece of work to date and embodies all of the skills he has learned up to now

Jesse Born is a talented young fellow from Rome, New York with the knack for making great puzzles, the skill for making beautiful woodwork, and the desire to perfectly merge the two together.

Back from the Victorian Age where he got lost in a good book, returns American craftsman Jesse Born to his workshop in upstate New York.

Appearing as though it were plucked from the shelf of an old library hidden away inside the musty mansion of some secret society, the “Victorian Book” puzzle box, by Jesse Born from New York State, exudes an instant air of mystery.  

This week we are featuring a beautiful wooden book created by up and coming woodworker Jesse Born from Rome, New York.  His “Book” puzzle is an elegantly crafted delight to hold and explore.  Made from maple, cherry and pine woods, it has additional accents of mahogany and spalted maple.