[725]from "KM"-18 September 2002:
Two part question:

I noticed in the list of puzzle makers that they are mainly American and United Kingdom - thus reflecting the interests of the particular collectors. Do you know of any sites that list Canadian puzzles? The second part of the question is does anyone know if the puzzles made in Canada in general are different from those made in other countries.

For example in fairly recent puzzles, we find series such as Whitman Canadian Guild puzzles which represent only Canadian images. I assume, maybe incorrectly, that those were only sold in Canada. However some other puzzles are not so Canadian related. For example, I just picked up a Windsor Jig Saw "deluxe scroll cut" picture puzzle (#S-800) entitled "Teaching Her Pups to Drink". Image is a spanial with 4 pups drinking. It also says "A Somerville Game" on it and "Made in Canada". But on the side of the box it says "litho in U.S.A." I don't know what this is. (I think I have another one of this seris of a German Sheppard with a Red Cross banner on him standing by a wounded soldier).

Being a lister in general, even if I didn't purchase these Canadian puzzles when ever I saw them, I would not mind creating a list of what is out there if it doesn't already exist.

"KM"
Saskatchewan
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from Jim McW--18 September 2002:
We are working towards representing, as well as we can, the puzzles of each country possible. For instance, we recently began a page for Puzzles of Japan, but we don't speak or read Japanese or have much access to the puzzles or information about them, so we can't say much about the subject yet. Fortunately, there is now: The Imaginatorium's Japanese Jigsaw Puzzle Manufacturers page.
This is a good time to start a "Puzzles of Canada" page, so we have done so! However, we are unaware of Canadian puzzle manufacturers, other than SOMERVILLETM. You mention Windsor Jig Saw, but it may be a different brand from the type we have seen, of which Anne Williams says, "almost certainly made by Bradley". We would love to have a picture of the Windsor Jig Saw you got, to post on the website.
We would appreciate some help increasing the number of puzzles, series, and manufacturers represented.
Thanks, Jim McW
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[726]from "J18"-18 September 2002:
Hello,
Can u please help me find puzzles which have young ballet dancers on it. Thanks. Pieces can be around 1000 to 1500.
"J18"
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[727]from "KM"-18 September 2002:
By the time you read this it may be too late but if anyone is interested in a Puzzle of the Week, 15 cents, Lincoln then one of my local thrift stores has it in its display case. I think they want around $9 Canadian for it or about $6-7 U.S. I have no idea of the value of this puzzle and to be honest neither does the thrift store. They have put things in their display stand for prices greater than retail when the item is still available for retail. Go figure.

LMK if you are interested and I'll go see if it is still there.
"KM"
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[728]from "Grandma"-20 September 2002:
Help!! I've been searching for a Milton Bradley puzzle of a picture done by artist Edmund Adler. It is a picture of children gathered around a bird cage. The one little girl's sock is slouching. Have you ever seen this puzzle and do you know where on earth I can find this puzzle to buy??? Thanks,
"Grandma"
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from Jim McW--21 September 2002:
Is this it?:
"Yellow Bird", MILTON BRADLEY "OLD MASTERS"TM, [1960's or 1970's?]
You'll have to search on internet auction sites or elsewhere on the secondary market for this one.
Thanks, Jim McW
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from "Grandma"--21 September 2002:
Hi, Yes that is the puzzle!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I do hope I can find one!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks, "Grandma"
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[729]from "SB"-22 September 2002:
This may not be a question for you web site, but I will give it a try. I take lots of pictures and feel that some may be worthy of putting into puzzle form. Do you know of an avenue I could take to get these photos to the right place.
Thanks for any assistance you can give.
Your site is nice. I have bookmarked it so I can spend some time visiting.
Thanks,
"SB"
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from Jim McW--22 September 2002:
Take a look at no. 593, Page 42.
Thanks, Jim McW
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[730]from "EY"-19 September 2002:
Hi there!

I love your web site; thorough, and fascinating, too.

I recently received the following jig saw puzzles from the estate of a friend who passed away.

I don't know whether they are complete, but the boxes are in good condition.

Do you recognize any of these as particularly collectible?

Many thanks,

"EY"
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from Jim McW--21 September 2002:
These sound as though they were issued in the 1940's, 1950's, and perhaps 1960's. Completeness and condition are major factors in their value. Can you send pictures?
Thanks, Jim McW
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from "EY"--21 September 2002:
"Kauai - Hawaii", 1500 pieces, Mr. Big, JAYMARTM
"Mt. Mayon - Philippines", 1500 pieces, Mr. Big, JAYMARTM
"Autumn Splendor", 304 pieces, WHITMAN GUILDTM
"Grand Canyon", 304 pieces, WHITMAN GUILDTM
"Montmartre", 340 pieces, canister, WHITMAN DELUXE GUILDTM
"Fishing Articles", about 500 pieces, WHITMAN GOLD SEALTM
"Haymaking", 1000 pieces, WHITMAN CROWNTM
"Westminster Abbey and Big Ben", 1000 pieces, WHITMAN CROWNTM
"New Orleans Patio", TUCO, [McW - probably late 1950's].
"Golgotha", TUCO, [McW - late 1940's-mid-1950's].
"End of the Trail", TUCO, [McW - probably late 1950's].
"Watkins", WATKINS STRATHMORE GRAND TOUR [?].
"Beyond the Hills", WARREN BUILT-RITE PARAGONTM.
Thanks, "EY"
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from "EY"--21 September 2002:
Just one more:
"Summer Respite", 1000 pieces, MILTON BRADLEY BIG BENTM
Thanks, "EY"
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[731]from Jim McW-25 September 2002:
Latest news is that Springbok will continue to be available, and there will even be some fascinating new puzzles! Stay tuned for more information...
Thanks, Jim McW
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from Jim McW--27 September 2002:

We just received a copy of a news release, from which we provide a few excerpts: "Hallmark has licensed its Springbok® Puzzles business to Allied Products, Inc., a Kansas-City based manufacturing company....Springbok, founded in 1963, had been a wholly owned subsidiary of Hallmark since 1967. The company was the first to introduce circular puzzles, and popularized puzzles made from fine art."
Thanks, Jim McW
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from "Keith"--3 October 2002:

Hi Jim
Long time since you heard from me, but I still keep an eye on your site and couldn't let this one go.
Waddington's introduced the round puzzle in July 1939, some 24 years before Springbok were founded and they were an immediate success. It was hailed at the time as the ' The Greatest Achievement in Jigsaw Manufacture' and as ' Entirely new -unique in conception- beautifully produced'. Chad Valley produced their oval wooden puzzle for GWR in 1926 but this was only a single picture not in the style that we associate circular puzzles with today. The novelty of the Waddington's was that the series of pictures were arranged round the circumference, four were produced in 1939 and another four in 1940. The patent No. was 830942. Some members of the BCD have super collections of these early Waddington's. They are well worth looking out for, they were marketed all over the world, including USA.
Regards
"Keith"
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from Jim McW--6 October 2002:

We noticed that in the article, but the publicist who wrote it may have had little knowledge of the history of jigsaw puzzles. We are under the impression that the early (pre-HALLMARKTM) SPRINGBOKTM puzzles either owed some of their ideas to, or were produced with the help of, WADDINGTON'STM.
By the way, for those who don't recognize the initials BCD, they stand for the "Benevolent Confraternity of Dissectologists", a member of which we have the honor to be!
Thanks, Jim McW
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from Jim McW--8 October 2002:

For more information on the BCD, see Tom Tyler's link on our LINKS page.
Thanks, Jim McW
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[732]from "DN"-27 September 2002:
I just bought a small puzzle by Pieter Brueghel the Elder (1525-1569) . Says on the back of the box that he was born in the province of Brabant in Belgium, and was the greatest Flemish artist of the 1500's and the finest landscape painter of his era.
"The Wedding Dance", Mini Masters #3, 1971 AMERICAN PUBLISHING CORPTM.
Do you have any one looking for this puzzle and what would it be worth? It is in excellent condition and box has one scuffed corner. Puzzle is 4 X 5 1/2"
Thanks,
"DN"
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[733]from "KM"-27 September 2002:
I've been going over the site again and again lately and enjoying the various themes.

I went to the Covered Bridge site in the links and have been sending him information on any puzzles I've seen. I've seen maybe 12 different puzzles on covered bridges since I started looking. Unfortunately he's not responded to any of my emails so I don't know if he's getting my information.

Today I saw two lighthouse puzzles and remembered the lighthouse puzzle page on your site so I took down the information. I don't know if you are keeping track of any images or only older ones. The two I saw were:

1. Monarch / Golden #4670-05 800 pieces no name given for location of lighthouse.

2. Fairchild 250 Piece Puzzle just names "Lighthouse" #1536 On the cover besides Fairchild, it also says "The Fairco" - I don't know what that means. Made in Rochester NY. I didn't know if this was recent or not so I picked it up for a big 50 cents. It's recent enough to have a zip code on it.

If you are keeping a list of lighthouse puzzles then please let me know. If you are only interested in certain ones then I won't send you tons of information since I suspect lighthouse puzzles are more common than I think.
LMK
"KM"
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from Jim McW--27 September 2002:

Thanks for the kind words.
As for the covered bridge puzzles website, the person who owns and maintains that site is very nice but runs the site, I suspect, as we do ours, in his spare time, having some regular job or business which keeps him quite busy. I would recommend just sending the info, with permission to use your name. If he can use any of the information, it will show up on the site, eventually. I know that we have received hundreds of photos of old jigsaw puzzles which we have not had time to post yet. There's just not enough hours in the day!
Yes, we are keeping a list of lighthouse puzzles (we also collect them), and I don't find the ones you mention on the list. We would love to have pictures of the puzzles or boxes that you have. FAIRCO was one of the brands of the FAIRCHILD company.
Thanks, Jim McW
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[734]from "PH"-24 September 2002:
Hey,

Can anyone help me find out how much some old puzzles are worth?

They are frame-tray Inlay
Whitman Publishing Co.
No. 4427:29
Gunsmoke
Marshall Dillon
Roy Rogers
They are all from around 1958.
I might be able to get more information, but this is what was given to me by my friend.

Thanks,
"PH"
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from Jim McW--22 September 2002:
As always, a lot depends on condition, completeness, and presentation, but they are popular and collectable. They may bring higher prices from collectors of those TV and movie stars than from puzzle collectors.
Thanks, Jim McW
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[735]from "anonymous"-25 September 2002:
I have a puzzle that was made some time ago for the aetna life insurance co. It is from the life in america collection. The puzzle is the croquet one. It is 1 in a series of 12 that were made... Could you please help me find the date it was made and maybe what it is worth..
thank you
"PH"
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from Jim McW--1 October 2002:
As always, a lot depends on condition, completeness, and presentation. Our general impression is that these great, little puzzles usually sell for $5 to $15, if complete and box and puzzle are in Fine condition. We believe they must have been issued in the 1950's or, possibly, the 1960's. Many, if not all, of these featured artwork by Henry Sutter, who also provided artwork for other Aetna Life puzzles, including ones in the "Americana Series" and the "Artistic Series", as well as some ROYALTM puzzles. We have only been able to find these titles in the "Life in America Series":
Birling
Coasting
Croquet [added by you]
Can anyone provide other titles in any of these series?
Thanks, Jim McW
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from Jim McW--29 July 2006:

Here's the complete list (we hope):
" Coasting "
" Sugaring Off "
"Skating"
" Angling "
" Trotting Race "
" Croquet "
" Regatta "
" Sea-Bathing "
" Bicycle Race "
" Birling "
" Barn Dance "
" Hay Ride "
Jim McW
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[736]from "Little Old Lady in PA..."-26 September 2002:
I have some adorable childrens puzzles from the 1950's. I am going crazy trying to find out about them, no one seems to know anything about them.
1.-HINTERMENTER-THREE BOYS GOING FISHING, A BOY SCOUT BEHIND THEM AND A DOG
2-Jaymar-Big Top, copyright columbia broad casting system - series 2574-1
3-Playtime house-Organ-grinder-series-4011 in red on bottom is' Rochell'
4-no.100-walzer
5-built rite-502
6-terrytoons-no.20
7-playtime house-series-3408
8-historical jigsaw puzzle=1804 louis and clarke expedition- no.-4500-national games-inc.
I HAVE ASKED EVERY ONE I know, can't get their value etc-[puzzles]-
can anyone please help me--
THANK-YOU
LITTLE OLD LADY IN PA...
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from Jim McW--1 October 2002:
We believe your first puzzle is "First Bite", by Hintermeister. Here's a detail from one such puzzle:
"First Bite", PERFECT PICTURE. [detail]
2 - JAYMAR had a Big Top Series, which we believe featured circus scenes.
3 - ?
4 - The A.M. Walzer Co., New Jersey and Minneapolis, circa 1940's. ( Is this a picture of a child's bedtime prayer?)
5 - ?
6 - ?
7 - ?
8 - ?
We might be able to tell a bit more, if we had some pictures...
Thanks, Jim McW
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