The History of Wooden Puzzles

The history of the wooden jigsaw puzzle is interesting.

Wooden jigsaw puzzles have an interesting history. Not only have they been used as educational tools to teach standard geography, but they also served as the primary source of entertainment during the Great Depression. Although intentionally created for children, the technological developments became appealing for adults and modern puzzles target both children and adults.

The Early Years

It is believed that the first jigsaw puzzle was created by John Spilsbury in London in 1760. It was created when he mounted one of his many maps on to a sheet of hardwood and used a fine-bladed saw to cut the borders of each country. It is believed that at the end of the 19th century, wooden puzzles were common. Illustrations were either glued or painted on one side of a piece of wood and pencil tracings were made on the back, outlining where the the cuts needed to be made.

Puzzles as Educational Tools

The wooden puzzles produced by Spilsbury were used in Britain as educational tools. Cutting the outlines of countries on maps helped children in geography classes. Up until the 1820s, wooden puzzles were primarily used by children in schools. When the 20th century rolled around, the process of producing wooden puzzles advanced, as thin strips of metal were used to cut the puzzles, making the edges more precise and smooth. This method also produced more detailed patterns that gave the puzzle higher levels of difficulty.

Types of Wooden Puzzles

Due to the popularity of jigsaw puzzles in the early 1900s, puzzles were also becoming widely available as cardboard. Although the traditional wooden puzzles were still popular, they were rather expensive. Cardboard puzzles, on the other hand, could be produced quicker and cheaper. While wooden puzzles may have sold for $1, the cardboard puzzles could have easily sold for about 25 cents. Manufacturers saw this opportunity and began producing massive quantities.

Puzzles and the Great Depression

The popularity of puzzles rose during the Great Depression, as puzzles were a cheap way to entertain children and adults. Companies began producing puzzles that reflected the desire for sentimental scenes, curiosity for technology and the industry for railroads and shipping for marketing purposes. These themes often provided people with a temporary escape from the hard economic times and general unemployment. Slowly, assembling puzzles at home because the primary source of entertainment, as restaurants and night clubs became too costly for many.

Adult Wooden Puzzles

To make wooden puzzles more appealing to adults, puzzles were often cut in more difficult and almost identical patterns. The advancement also reflected on the market, as jigsaw puzzles began appearing in advertising strategies. For example, companies began handing out puzzles as prizes or gifts when other products were purchased. This was a success among adults and soon, companies began demanding more puzzles for the advertising campaigns.

Wooden Puzzles and World War II

Although wooden puzzles had been popular during the 1920s and 1930s, the demand for puzzles began declining after World War II. It is suggested that the reason for the decline was due to the rise of prices and production time. However, advancements in lithography made puzzles more attractive, as they became more artistic. Although the popularity of the 1920s did not resurface, puzzles remained popular, particularly after Jackson Pollock presented "Convergence" in 1965, which has been labeled the world's most difficult jigsaw puzzle by Springbok.

References

• American Jigsaw Puzzle Society: History of Jigsaw Puzzles
• MGC Puzzles: Jigsaw Puzzles - A Brief History