The History of Jigsaw Puzzles

John Spilsbury

• inventor of the jigsaw puzzle in 1767

John Spilsbury, 1767

Introduction of Cardboard – late 1800s

• wood still dominated for 2 reasons:1) cardboard considered “cheap”

2) more profit from wood puzzles

-wood puzzles $1.00

-cardboard puzzles 25¢

Interlocking Pieces - early 1900s

Pastime Puzzle, Rabbit and Carrot Figurals, early 1900s

Figure Pieces - early 1900s

Die-Cut Method, early-mid-1900s

1931: Einson-Freeman gave free puzzles away with toothbrushes

“Peter Pan”

Weekly-Puzzle Series

• “Picture Puzzle Weekly”

• “B-Witching Weekly”

• “Jiggers Weekly”

• “Movie Cut-Ups”

New Depression-Era Puzzle Companies

Chad Valley

Victory

Viking

Par

VICTORY JIGSAW - UNION CASTLE LINER - WINCHESTER CASTLE

mid-1930s

Rockbound, by Par Puzzles

Post World War IICardboard Puzzles

Disappearance of Wood-Puzzle Companies After World War II

• 1958 Pastime Puzzles

• 1950s-1960s Victory

• 1974 Par Puzzles

Wood Puzzles Today