Dissected puzzle
N. Carpenter
Category
Sports equipment, games and pastimes
Date
1840
Materials
Wood, paper and metal
Measurements
Puzzle Pieces–10 mm (min. length); 90 mm (max. length), Box – 146 mm (width); 183 mm (height); 40 mm (depth), Completed Puzzle - 316 mm (width); 209 mm (height)
Place of origin
London
Order this imageCollection
Sudbury Hall Museum of Childhood, Derbyshire
NT 662812
Summary
A dissected puzzle entitled 'The Life of a Farmer' in a wooden box with sliding lid (1840). The lid has an illustration of part of the dissected puzzle pasted onto it. The title is printed in black ink at the top. Underneath this is part of an illustration entitled 'The Farmer and his Family', the top of this illustration is covered by the puzzle title. Under this picture are another eight illustrations in squares or rectangles. These are entitled 'Milking', 'Churning', 'Making Cheese', 'Harrowing', 'Weeding', 'Mowing', 'Carrying' and 'Harvest Home'. All these illustrations are in colour and are covered in varnish. The underside of this lid has a handwritten inscription in black ink and pencil reading '43 pieces and 8 tiny bits' referring to the puzzle. The edges of the wooden box are nailed together and the right edge is loose with the nail protruding at the top. The underside of this box has a further handwritten ink and pencil inscription reading 'Bessie Neville 43 pieces 4 broken [little bits]' The wooden dissected puzzle originally consisted of 43 pieces, however the back of the puzzle has been pasted to red and green paper and some of the pieces no longer come apart. Similarly, some of the pieces are broken into smaller parts. The puzzle has the illustration on the box and extends further to the left with illustrations and titles. There are eighteen illustrations in total. The publisher is given at the bottom. Total number of items is 48,
Marks and inscriptions
Bottom of puzzle: Published by N Carpenter London
Makers and roles
N. Carpenter, engraver and publisher