For thoses who have always wished to own one....
Odds are that this one is going to sell for a LOT !!!

http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1647168954

Michael

I hope it goes for a lot since I am auctioning it

Before selling it off, I have gotten a snapshot of the interior mechanism for my web site which will be added soon.

Is this an original Rubik's product or is this a custom made puzzle? I did not know that Rubik's made puzzles for the blind. Where did you find such a puzzle????

I have a Blind Rubik's cube(3x3x3).
If you need, I can send you the photo.

It is not in any way hand made (I know because I took it apart to get a photo of the inside for my puzzle site).

It works well, turns great, and as far as being an official Rubik edition....I don't know. I don't have any data on this puzzle to know how to tell. It is very well made with a solid (not cheap plastic) feel.

If it is a non-Rubik brand, the makers did a very good job making a replica.

Where did I get it? I bought it a while ago from Mike Green the owner of Puzzletts. He no longer has an active web site but lives local to me so I visit him once a year of so to see what goodies he has to buy, sell or trade.

- Cubologist
http://www.virtualpuzzlemuseum.com

Is the photo you have, the same as this puzzle?

http://www.virtualpuzzlemuseum.com/3x3x3puzzles7of39.htm

I found this reference just now at:

http://www.chrono.org/other/rcfaq006.txt

a) Rubik's Domino: Essentially a cube with one layer of cubes taken out, appearing to be made up of 18 cubelets. Fails Cube-type criteria letters D and E. The puzzle is not a perfect regular polyhedron and is not symmetrical from all faces. In essence, due to the nature of its twists, the puzzle essentially has only two faces, a "top" and a "bottom." Variants: My understanding is that they made a version with dots and/or stickers and one where the dots were molded into the plastic to benefit the visually impaired. Invented by: Dr. Erno Rubik?

Here is a slightly newer version of the Rubik FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions):

http://www.chrono.org/other/rcfaq007.txt

Cubologist, maybe you know...

What was the real story on Puzzletts? Why was it always so difficult purchasing puzzles from them? Was the guy really that busy, disorganized, a poor business man, running a scam, or was he going into financial ruin?

It's amazing how small the world gets with the internet...

Coincidentally I am at this very moment working on an update of that FAQ after 1.5 years. I just felt it needed it. If you have anything to contribute, please email me. I am always interested in reading people's opinions, corrections, insights or even lists of puzzles they have solved.

If the eBay item listed is indeed the real deal, then this may be the only Time you will ever see this item for sale unless they remanufacture it. This is the second one I've every seen on eBay and heck, it may be the same darn one just being sold to a new owner!

Yes being local to Mike Green (Puzzletts) gives me an advantage of not having to deal with his web site (which is non-existent anymore). Those that did were subject to all sorts of hassles.

The story? I'll give you the short version.

He has been financially strapped for the last several years, moving his storefront various times, dealing with manufactures not delivering on time, or at all, employees that through negligence caused various set backs and perhaps various poor decisions on his own part.

He is a nice guy, lots and lots of ambition but not enough computer know-how to really make a Web Site work for him. His storefront is now his Garage, with all puzzles packed away. He wants to get things up and running again, but that is a financial expense that he can't afford at the moment. I don't know if he will ever make it in the computer e-commerce world of selling puzzles and there is not enough business to keep a puzzle specialty store open in Seattle...

I hope he does because his collection of stuff is great. He knows all the vendors and distributors, knows how to get merchandise...

yes.
My blind cube is same as that web site.

Someone must have heard your claim about how hard they are to find...the bid on eBay just jumped to $200.00. Someone wants it really bad.

Someone needs to give Mike the link to this site. I am sure he has some stuff that others would want. He could make some great contacts.

ebay

Seems like it would be a no-brainer for him to start selling directly via ebay as a hobby on the side. The barrier to entry is absysmally low and the auction atmosphere provides for inflated profits.

But hopefully, not before I get to scope out his garage in person.

Joshua

The Domino has two #8 tiles but no #6 tile ?
Does anyone know why ?
I don`t

Michael

I think his computer experience is limited to sending emails. I'll pass on the forum address to him however and who knows, perhaps he will give it a try.

Good question, I verified by looking at the actual puzzle that there are in fact two black "8"s instead of an "8" and a "6". The white side is fine.

I don't know if this is a manufacturing error, assembly error or what. I have not not been the sole owner of this puzzle so I don't know for sure what the story is here.

Just look on what's currently page 8 of this forum for the thread entitled:

Rubik's Domino: Oh My God! - Michael Cahill on Mar 28, 2000

A domino went for over $1000 on ebay last year.

$311.11 was the high bid on this puzzle. No thousands dollars but I'm no complaining

And I'm always willing to accept partial profit from any items that may have been directly or indirectly boosted by me.