The Origin: “Dissected Maps” (1760s)
In 1762, a London mapmaker and engraver named John Spilsbury created the first known example of what we would today call a jigsaw puzzle. He didn’t intend it as a game; he glued a map of the world onto a thin piece of mahogany wood and used a hand-held saw to cut along the borders of countries. It was an educational tool to help children learn geography. At the time, they were called “dissections.” Due to the fact they were hand-cut from expensive wood, they were luxury items for the wealthy and the British Royal Family.
The jigsaw name
The name “jigsaw puzzle” is actually a bit of a historical mistake. In the late 1800s, the treadle fretsaw (a foot-powered saw that allowed for intricate, curvy cuts) became the primary tool for making puzzles. People incorrectly applied the term “jigsaw” to these saws. Even though makers didn’t typically use true jigsaws to cut the wood, the name “jigsaw puzzle” stuck by the early 20th century. Around this time, manufacturers switched from solid hardwoods to plywood, which was cheaper, lighter, and didn’t warp as easily.
Evolution of the puzzle
For over 150 years, puzzles were sold in plain boxes with no reference image. It wasn’t until the 1930s that a company called Victory Puzzles started putting the finished image on the box. Purists at the time actually considered this “cheating.” Early puzzles didn’t “lock” together; the pieces just sat side-by-side. The modern interlocking “knob and hole” design became the standard during the early 20th century. High-end wooden puzzles often feature “whimsy pieces”—pieces cut into recognizable shapes like an elephant, a bird, or a teapot—that match the theme of the image.
Our Jigsaw Puzzle
We have chosen one of the early style educational tool style puzzles to feature in this post. This puzzle – ‘Dissected Map of the World for Young Learners in Geography’ was published by R Laurie and J Whittle, London. Unusually for its age, this puzzle features the full drawing of the map on the outside of the wooden box. The layout of the map, double-hemisphere, first appeared in use in the late 1500’s. It was a popular way of displaying our 3D globe in a 2D format. It was very popular in the 17th and 18th century as it allowed cartographers to elaborately decorate the margins of the map.
This map, with it’s more austere appearance, pushes the date forward. The map lists Australia as New Holland and shows an incomplete Pacific Northwest. A very rough outline of the Antarctic region is typical of the period just after Captain James Cook’s voyages. This firmly puts this jigsaw puzzle in the date range of 1770-1790 making it a very early example.
