The Fascinating History of Michael Borys

“Guests pass through a long-unused door into a shadowy mausoleum while music from days of old materializes from unseen speakers. Very few people have ever laid eyes on this storied inner sanctum of history. Countless wooden boxes of different shapes, textures and sizes adorn tables alongside curious artifacts dating back to the 19th century. At the center of it all, one spotlight focuses on a large, wooden box that has been sealed tight by 19 strange locks from around the world.”
—Excerpt from the synopsis for The 49 Boxes

ichael Borys has always been intrigued by locks. As a youngster, he studied his locker padlock, wondering about the mechanisms inside that were complex enough to keep strangers out but simple enough to be quickly defeated by those who knew the combination. Keyed locks were another fascination that provided many tactile pleasures: the heft of a mighty brass padlock; the feeling of putting the correct key into the cylinder to manipulate the spring-loaded pins inside; the satisfying click and