Akio Kamei makes beautiful trick-opening boxes (termed “karakuri”). Architectural principles used in Japan to enable buildings to withstand the numerous seismic tremors were first applied to puzzle design at the end of the nineteenth century and have been taken to a new level in the works of Kamei. Accessing the secret compartments in Kamei’s boxes may involve the clever manipulation of sliding panels, applications of fundamental laws of physics, and/or ingenious mechanisms which unlock in a manner related to the object depicted. The opening techniques frequently have a humorous quality, incorporating Kamei’s personality and wit. Kamei’s work is produced in extremely limited quantities from a variety of Japanese woods. See also Kamei’s website.
*Bar of Chocolate *Barrel *Bomb *Book *Bottle *Box with a Key *Cake *Can *Card Case *Cassiopeia *Checker Cube Box *Coffee Cup *Cosmox *Crown *Cube and Octahedron *Cube *Cubi *Cubic *Die *Disappearing Coin Box *Double Drawer Box *Egg *Fan *Great Bear *Hamburger *Hot Miso Soup *Jug (Bottle in Rome) *Letter Box 1 *Letter Box 2 *Little Drawer Box *Love Box *Maze Box *Mechanic Cubi *Money Bank *Nonsense and W-Nonsense Boxes *Octagon Box *Outlet *Padlock *Paper Bag *Parabox *Parcel Cube *Pentagon Box *Plane *Pneumatic Box *Radio *Ribbon Box *Ribbon Box 2 *Rose *Six Button Box *Small Box 1 *Small Box 2 *Small Box 3 *Small Chest *Small Die *Small Egg *Small Framed Picture *Small Love Box *Small Twin Box *Spring Box *Stapler *Star *Star Box *String Box *String Box 2 *3D Box *Toaster *Top Box *Top Box 3 *Train Engine *Triple Cross Box *Twin Box *Twin Box 3 *Two Drawer Box *Zig Zag