This is a neat vintage advertising piece from the early 1900's. The brass ring can easily be moved from one end of the puzzle to the opposite end. The trick, as it states on one brass plate is: "Remove the ring and put it on again". The other brass plate is the advertising piece. "Phenyo Caffein" "Cures headaches and Neuralgia" "Phenyo C. Co" 'Worcester Mass" Both brass plates are listed as Token #1805 in Storer's Numismatics of Massachusetts, pub. 1923. That's why I posted in this forum. The manufacturer of the medicine was J. Garst, prop., Worcester, MA as listed 1892 Bradst. According to records on file at the Smithsonion National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center the uses on the packaging were for a large number of medical problems. The company name is Pheyno Caffein Co. The drug itself included Caffein, Camphor and Acetanilid all active ingredients. The Pheyno Caffein Co. had the Chilian Puzzle with both brass plates (tokens) attached to both ends of this mind boggling puzzle for advertising purposes. This took place after 1906 as that is when the drug was first produced. Now if only I could solve this.
Oh jeez..... I love my momma. I really, really love my mom.... But somehow she thinks I love these kinds of puzzles and sends me one or two every year. They are all on my desk. Not a single one has been solved. I have nightmares about these things......
LOL ! Chocolate and vanilla I guess, I used to eat 'em up like candy ! I always loved puzzles, the tougher the better ! Never found one I couldn't figure out, and I even used to go looking for them. When I was in my 20's I had 'em all over the house, used to keep them displayed, out where my friends and visitors could see them and I could challenge them to solve them ! Few ever could - but that was all part of the fun of course
Basically you have solved it and only need to place the ring back "on." Oddly enough, I have one of these things, which came from my parents. Code: https://www.facebook.com/russell.mckay.31/posts/10220255903098645
