Hart

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ESCAPE FROM FRAMES

Hart puzzles were produced primarily in the 1940's, by the Leo Hart Printing Company, Rochester, NY. See some of the lines produced by this company below. See also archival and manuscript material related to this company in the University of Rochester (New York) Library collection:
Papers, 1905-1961, including samples of printing, financial and legal papers, letters, clippings, photographs, and memorabilia. These are listed in the Manuscript Collection, with Call numbers BB.H32 and D.230.
Directly relating to puzzles are:
1) Some photcopied pages from a magazine entitled Playthings, March 1944 issue. An ad mentions "Picture Puzzle Headquarters" for the Toy Fair in Room 466 Hotel McAlpin where a display of their puzzles was to take place. They mention such puzzle product lines as "Hart Picture Puzzles", "America in Action Puzzles", and a new series called "Masterpieces". "Boys and Girls of the United Nations Picture Puzzle" is mentioned. There is also a brief blurb noting that Playtime House has become the successors of the puzzle and toy business of the Leo Hart Company.
2) A photocopy of a page from Playthings, December 1946, pp 105-106, listing the various product lines of Playtime House and mentioning a catalog.
3) A series of sheets published by Leo Hart stapled together. Each sheet mentions a puzzle series, listed as follows:
    a) Series No. 2 "Hart Adult Picture Puzzles". Six are listed and illustrated [Blackfoot Indian; Adirondack Mountains; Havana, Cuba; Montana; New Mexico; and Three Macaws]
    b) Series No. 50, "The World in Color Picture Puzzles", made from actual color photographs. Six shown.
    c) Series No. 100, "America in Action", picture puzzles made from news photos. Six are listed and images shown [Marines in Action, Navy Mosquito Boats, American Forces Land in Africa, United States Army Paratrooper, American Landing in the Solomon Islands, United States Army Tank Destroyers in Action]
    d) Series No. 200, "Wings of Victory", picture puzzles for boys and girls, actual color photographs of war planes. Six listed and images shown [The Grumman Skyrocket, The C-46 Commando Tranport, The curtiss SBC-4 Cleveland Dive Bomber, The SB2C1 Navy Dive Bomber, The Vultee A31 "Vengeance" Dive Bomber, The Bell P-39 Airacobra]
    e) Series No. 250, "Sky Fighters Airplane Picture Puzzles". Six images shown
    f) Series No. 300, "Circus Puzzles for Children: a giant box of six pictures of the big top. Six listed and images shown [Donk, the Donkey; Ella, the Elephant; Jerry, the Giraffe; Zeb, the Zebra; Sally, the Seal; and Circus Girl]
    g) De Luxe Hart Picture Puzzles. Series of six images.
Hart puzzles se producieron en los años 1940 a 1949, aproximadamente. Vea algos de las series de puzzles de Hart al abajo. También vea manuscritos sobre los productos de esta compañía en la Biblioteca de la Universidad de Rochester en la Nueva York.

Spanish translations are in magenta letters.

"Blackfoot Chief"

"Bell Airacobra"

 
AMERICA IN ACTION - Series 100 - World War 2, circa 1943

American Forces Arrive in Algeria
Americans Preparing for the Kiska Invasion
And Pass the Ammunition
US Army Tank Destroyers in Action [courtesy "ND"]

Can anyone provide additional titles (and/or pictures) from this series?

"DB" sent in this list of puzzles (and photos) of this series, all series 100, copyright 1943, Leo Hart Co., Inc., Rochester, NY.:

American Forces Arrive in Algeria" American Forces Arrive in Algeria "
"American soldiers marching toward the the Algerian town of Oran find a typical [?] which might have been [?] from Southern France. Even the curious folk in the background watching the fully equipped Yanks who liberated them from the Vichy. [?] might have been standing on a Marseilles [?]. The soldiers have American flags stuck under the camouflage netting on their helmets."

American Landing in Sicily" American Landing in Sicily "
"Only a few days after the opening of the Sicilian invasion, the beach near [Scaglia?] presented this peaceful appearance as an LCI (landing craft infantry) and an amphibious vehicle drew up to deliver and take on loads...the scene providing impressive evidence of the speed of Allied progress inland. -- Official U.S. Navy Photograph"

American Landing in the Solomon Islands" American Landing in the Solomon Islands "
"Jeeps and [?] type landing barges line the sandy beach of Guadalcanal as United States Marines land to launch their offensive against the Japs in the Solomons. -- Acme News Photo"

American Troops in New Guinea" American Troops in New Guinea "
"Armed with tommy guns and machetes and in camouflage dress, a platoon of American soldiers leave their New Guinea camp for a patrol to root out any Japs. They are passing over [Senemi?] Creek toward the conquered areas where Japanese troops frequently can be found. -- Acme News Photo"

Americans Preparing for Kiska Invasion" Americans Preparing for Kiska Invasion "
"U.S. Army and Navy amphibious forces board an LCM at an Aleutian base for the drive against Kiska. American transports lie off shore, ready to take their places in the invasion. -- Official U.S. Navy Photograph"

...And Pass the Ammunition" ...And Pass the Ammunition "
"A turnabout from the usual procedure of forming a bucket brigade to put out a fire is put into effect during the [?] of [Rendova?] Island in the Solomons as members of the American invading force fall in line and pass the ammunition...to start fires on Jap strongolds. The ammunition is being unloaded from an LCI (landing craft infantry). -- Official [?] Photograph"

U.S. Army Tank Destroyers in Action" U.S. Army Tank Destroyers in Action "
"United States Army tank destroyers find nothing too tough to come to grips with its mortal enemy. The tank destroyer detail plunges boldly into a stream. These mobile units with plenty of fire power are esssential in today's warfare on defense and offense. -- [?] Photo"

United States Army Paratrooper" United States Army Paratrooper "
"This newest branch of the Army requires men who have stamina and courage and are plenty tough. These well-equipped "Men of Mars" among other tasks capture enemy airports and disrupt communications. -- H. Armstrong [Roberts?] Photo"

United States Marines in Action" United States Marines in Action "
"Manning a 75mm gun amid a tropical setting on Guadalcanal Island, this crew of United States Marines and many others like it, poured shells into the lines of the Japanese invaders. The Japs lost heavily in men and equipment as they tried desperately to dent the United States lines around the airfield on the island. -- International News Photo"

United States Navy Mosquito Boats" United States Navy Mosquito Boats "
"These Navy PT Boats, [also ? ] called Mosquito Boats by the Navy, have been [one of the most effective ?] in World War II. Their powerful [? battery ?] Navy. One of these [?] General MacArthur [?]. -- [?]"

Yankees Under Fire Advance on Italy" Yankees Under Fire Advance on Italy "
This is history in the making at Salerno. Flushed with the excitement of the long-awaited invasion of the European mainland, American fighting men pour out of their landing ships on the double, oblivious to the explosion of the shell from a German [88 mm ?] gun. The Army M.P. in the foreground was in the act of instinctively ducking from the blast of the shell. [N?] the machine gun in the truck coming off the landing [?] already [aimed?] skyward. -- Official U.S. Navy Photograph"

Text from the puzzles indicated are quoted exactly as on the boxes, solely in the interest of historical accuracy.
PLAYTIME HOUSE

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COLORPHOTO

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