Jigsaw Puzzles: A History

Long consider a staple of inexpensive family fun, the jigsaw puzzle has a history that stretches back almost 250 years. The first examples were made by John Spilsbury, a European map maker. He developed his "Dissected Maps" by gluing a map to a sheet of wood and carefully cutting countries out with a saw. These early versions were used as learning tools for English children. These consisted of a wooden map of the British Empire that was cut into shaped pieces to help learn geography (the British Empire at that time spanned nearly the entire globe). Over the next century their popularity increased, although due to their high cost, they were generally only purchased by the upper classes.

In the early 20th century both Parker Brothers and Milton Bradley began manufacturing Jigsaw Puzzles. They were still made of wood and hand cut, but due to improvements in the manufacturing process, the price fell as their popularity increased.

Puzzles

The development of die cut cardboard jigsaw puzzles made the puzzles available to the masses. Although cardboard puzzles had been available for a number of years, they were still cut by hand with a fine saw. This continued until the early 1930s when the puzzles started to be produced with dies of sharp twisted metal then were pressed into the cardboard to create the puzzle pieces.

Using this new technique, mass produced, inexpensive cardboard puzzles were released. Although wooden puzzles continued to be sold (and are still available today), the low price of the cardboard puzzles, usually around a dime to a quarter, meant that nearly anyone could buy one. Puzzles were often also given away as a premium with various household products, libraries checked out puzzles and some shops even rented puzzles for a few cents a day.

The availability of cheap jigsaw puzzles combined with the Great Depression lead to a renewed surge in puzzle sales. As incomes declined, people stopped going to theaters, restaurants and other more expensive entertainments, these colorful cardboard puzzles were the perfect replacement. They were inexpensive, could be enjoyed by the whole family, and once one person or family completed a puzzle it could be broken up and passed on to other people. During the Great Depression, there were even companies that published weekly cardboard jigsaw puzzles that sold on newsstands with magazines and newspapers. By 1933 ten million puzzles were being sold every week.

Since the 1930s, jigsaw puzzles have declined in popularity, but can still be found in many stores and almost everyone has at least one in a closet in their house. The standard cardboard puzzle is the most common and nearly any subject can be found on a jigsaw puzzle design. Wooden puzzles are still available and although the most common type are simple children's puzzles, well made complex adult puzzles are still being produced by some specialty manufacturers. There are even three dimensional versions available for those who want an extra challenge. There's such a wide array of puzzles, almost anyone can find one that suits their tastes!

Jigsaw Puzzles: A History

Jigsaw puzzles are a classic pastime for families everywhere. If you're looking for more simple jigsaw puzzles for kids or elaborate and expensive jigsaw puzzles, you're sure to find something that suits your needs out there