How to Collect Vintage Jigsaw Puzzles

The jigsaw puzzle first gained popularity with adults around 1900. These puzzles remained popular during the Great Depression, when people needed inexpensive means of entertainment. Many of these vintage toys are still available today. Here's how you can collect them.

Instructions

Learn About Different Kinds of Vintage Puzzles

1. Start with puzzles made of wooden pieces that do not interlock. These puzzles were available between 1900 and 1910, and they were the first to gain popularity.

2. Learn about the jigsaw puzzle that included figure pieces. Parker Brothers' puzzle line, Pastimes, introduced the puzzle that had pieces shaped like animals, symbols and other recognizable shapes. The figure piece puzzle was introduced in 1908.

3. Find an example of one of the first puzzles with interlocking pieces. In 1909, these puzzles were popular because the pieces couldn't easily slide apart during puzzle construction.

4. Find die-cut vintage puzzles. By the 1930s, jigsaw puzzles were printed onto cardboard. These were less expensive than the wood puzzles from earlier years. So there were more puzzles available.

5. Look for complicated interlocking vintage puzzles. Toward the end of the Great Depression, puzzle makers made more complicated puzzles. A puzzle from this time period probably had a reproduction of famous artwork or movie poster. The pieces were more complicated too, making it harder to find corner and end pieces.

Build Your Vintage Puzzle Collection

1. Get a puzzle guide. Jigsaw Puzzles, An Illustrated History and Price Guide (1990) by Anne D. Williams is the premier guide to collecting vintage puzzles. In this book you can find more information about different types of puzzles and their makers.

2. Search antique store for a vintage puzzle. Armed with a guide to jigsaw puzzle history and production, you can closely inspect a jigsaw puzzle and usually haggle a fair price.

3. Buy some puzzles online. Quite a few people sell vintage puzzles online. You might find one on eBay or through an independent website. Although you can get a good price going this route, be wary! Without inspecting the puzzle beforehand, you could receive one with missing pieces.

4. Check out garage sales. A garage sale is kind of a long shot when it comes to buying a vintage jigsaw puzzle, but you never know what someone might find in their home during spring cleaning. You may get lucky.