Antique and Vintage Jigsaw Puzzles

The first jigsaw puzzles were produced in the late 1700s by mapmakers mounting maps on hardwood and cutting pieces out with a maquetry saw. In the late 1800s, simply cut solid wood jigsaw puzzles made by leading lithographers such as McLaughlin Brothers (New York City) celebrated American achievements like warships, steamboats, or Teddy Roosevelt charging up the hill in Cuba.

The first great era of jigsaw puzzles started in England and migrated to the U.S. around 1900, when puzzle makers began to experiment with smaller pieces, more appealing to adults, usually with scenes of people or families. There was also a revival in the 1930s during the Depression. Puzzles were given away as advertising premiums and became hugely popular as cheap entertainment (most cost 10 cents).

Some major names for jigsaw puzzle collectors include Arteno (intricate, hand cut puzzles), Parker Brothers (with its leading Pastime Puzzles line), Milton Bradley (Premier Line), Madmar (Utica, New York), Raphael Tuck and Sons Ltd. (London, Zag-Zaw brand), James Browning (U-Nit puzzles), and Par (makers of high end puzzles).

Show & Tell

Baseball Jigsaw Puzzle - Baseballby kjd
in Baseball
Small Wooden Puzzle - Gamesby tillie432
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Interviews & Articles

Piecing Together the History of Jigsaw Puzzles

What inspired me to collect old jigsaw puzzles? I grew up as a child with some wonderful world class puzzles in my household. They… [more]



Best of the Web (“Hall of Fame”)

Old Jigsaw Puzzles

Old Jigsaw Puzzles

Bob Armstrong has pieced together an incredible reference site on vintage jigsaw puzzles. The centerpiece is his co… [read review or visit site]

Museum of Talking Boards

Museum of Talking Boards

Prepare to enter the strange world of Ouija, the Wonderful Talking Board game, which captured imaginations en masse… [read review or visit site]

Elliot Avedon Games Museum

Elliot Avedon Games Museum

This in-depth University of Waterloo virtual exhibit showcases vintage games in a variety of categories, from class… [read review or visit site]

Handhelden.com

Handhelden.com

From Tomy to Coleco to Mattel and Nintendo, check out this collection of over 660 handheld and tabletop videogames … [read review or visit site]

Pong Story

Pong Story

David Winter's tribute to early video games, and to Ralph H. Baer, 'inventor of the video game.' Offers a detailed … [read review or visit site]



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