This is an early hand-cut solid wood "Jig-Saw Picture Puzzle" of 108 pieces entitled "Mother Love" or "The Peasant Mother" made by the American firm, Parker Brothers of Salem, Massachusetts, between 1906 and 1914. It was produced at a time when puzzles were actually made for adults. The pieces do not interconnect nor is there a guide picture on the cover of the box. These early puzzles were expensive as they had to be cut one piece at a time.

Hand-cut timber jig-saw puzzles were all the rage in America from about 1900 to 1908. Very large and expensive puzzles were typically purchased by wealthy adults on Saturday mornings as part of the entertainment for weekend house parties. Puzzles continued to be an adult pastime for the next 20 years.

There is evidence that a similar craze had spread to Australia by 1909 when the press referred to playing with picture puzzles as being a "society game". Home-made puzzles were made, glued onto pieces of wood or cardboard, and cut into pieces. There were picture puzzle contests and parties. "The Queenslander" a Brisbane newspaper of 1911, reported that "Picture Puzzle Teas" were popular with the hostess allocating puzzles to her guests giving them an hour to complete them followed by prizes and a "dainty tea". It concluded that, "A selection of picture puzzles will be an invaluable boon to the hostess in the bush, and they will serve to while away many a wet afternoon, when guests need amusing especially."

In confirmation of the adult picture puzzle craze, this jigsaw was a gift to Mabel Walker (nee Mansfield) (1870-1958) in 1914 when she was about 44.

Margaret Simpson
Curator, Transport & Toys
February 2012

Information provided by Janet Denne (Windeyer), 2011.

Pastime Puzzles cut by Parker Bros ww.oldpuzzles.com/Examples/collection.php?-SkipRecords=0&tag=2

Williams, Anne D., "The Jigsaw Puzzle: Piecing Together a History", Berkley Books, New York, 2004.

'A Picture Puzzle Tea' in "The Queenslander" (Brisbane) 27 May, 1911, p.6.

This solid wood jigsaw was made between 1906 and 1914 by the American toy manufacturer, Parker Brothers Inc. of Salem, Massachusetts. It is one of the firm's range entitled "Jig-Saw Picture Puzzle" but is an early example as the pieces do not interlock.

This range was produced at the same time as the more superior, expensive and intricately cut "Pastime" range which featured figure pieces (animals, flowers, letters or numbers) included amongst the cut shapes on plywood introduced in 1909. By this time the company had 225 puzzle cutters manufacturing 15,000 puzzles per week. Parker Brothers only employed women cutters who were thought to be more careful than men and were familiar with the treadle-operated jigsaw cutting machines which were powered in a similar manner to sewing machines. The cutters had a quota of some 1400 puzzle pieces per day. Parker Brothers distributed their puzzles throughout America by mail order, department stores and stationary outlets and had branches in New York, London and later Paris.

Anne D. Williams provides an excellent history of jigsaws and the Parker Brothers' firm. She says the jigsaw dates back to the 1760s when European map makers glued maps onto pieces of wood and cut them into little pieces. These "dissected" maps were an educational resource to teach children. However, jigsaw puzzles were in fact made for adults.

Parker Brothers were established in 1883, in Salem, Massachusetts, by George S. Parker and their first puzzle was made in 1887. By the first decade of the twentieth century jigsaws were so popular that the firm concentrated solely on producing these from 1909. They finished production of their famous Pastime Picture Puzzles in 1954.

This puzzle was given to Mabel Walker in 1914, born Mabel L. Mansfield in 1870 in Balmain, an inner Sydney harbour suburb. Mabel married William Walker (1867-1934) at Woollahra in Sydney in 1898. They lived at Woollahra and Wahroonga, in Sydney, in the first decades of the twentieth century and she died at Quirindi, New South Wales, in 1958. Her cousin, Nellie, gave this jigsaw to Mabel as an adult when she was about 44.

This jig-saw was passed on to Mabel's daughter, Dorothy Windeyer, and is one of a small group of toys donated by Dorothy's daughter, Janet Denne, to the Museum in 2012.

Jig-saw puzzle with packaging, 'Peasant Mother', No. J50, 108 pieces, timber / cardboard, made by Parker Bros Inc, Salem, Massachusetts, United States of America, 1906-1909, used by Mabel Walker (nee Mansfield), Wahroonga, New South Wales, Australia, 1914

This 108-piece hand-cut jigsaw is made of non-intersecting solid timber pieces. They were hand-cut in such a way so that they feature opposing strips cut to create wavy edges which were "pushed-to-fit" into place. The pieces, when fitted together, create a print of a painting entitled "The Peasant Mother" which has been glued onto the timber prior to cutting. The picture features a mother feeding her infant child with a toddler at her feet. The clothes, accessories and interior allude to an 18th century Dutch style. The artist is Chas. Williams and the painting is copyright for 1906. Although the puzzle has its original cardboard box there is no cutter/checker label.

Made: 1906 - 1909

The jigsaw has the title "Mother Love" located at the bottom centre of the picture. On the bottom right hand side is the wording: "Copyright 1906 by Chas. Williams".

On the front of the jigsaw puzzle box is printed "Jig=Saw / Picture Puzzle / J 50 Peasant Mother over 100 pieces / Made By / Parker Bros, Inc. Salem, Mass, - New York - London / Also makers of the world famous Pastime Picture Puzzles".

On the back of the jigsaw box hand written in ink is "108 Pieces / The Peasant Mother / Mabel Walker/ January 10th 1914/ From Nellie". A white sticker has the hand printed wording: "Done 17-1-96 / Complete / also called / Mother Love / 17 cm x 25 cm".

2012/35/3

1906 - 1909