Shop: Jigsaws for Sale

These beautiful high quality wooden jigsaws are made by the Wentworth Jigsaw Company.
There are currently nine designs to choose from.
Other than the micro puzzles, all of these wooden jigsaw puzzles come packed in a cotton drawstring bag, within a sturdy presentation box and once complete form a very desirable and highly collectable picture that can be proudly displayed.
No two pieces are alike and selected pieces are cut into recognisable shapes, butterflies flowers and birds.
Click to download the order form
Please note Blue Iris and Heydon Village Green have sold out and are no longer available.

Hedgerow flowers

This 250 piece puzzle finished measures 10'x14' Price £22.95

Out of water

This 250 piece puzzle finished measures 10'x10' Price £22.95

Blue Iris

This 40 piece MICRO puzzle finished measures just 3'x5' inches Price £4.99

Heydon Village Green

This 40 piece MICRO puzzle finished measures just 3'x5' inches Price £4.99

Tulips and Checks

This 250 piece puzzle finished measures 10'x14' Price £22.95

Venice

This 40 piece MICRO puzzle finished measures just 3'x5' inches Price £4.99

Pink Lillies

This 40 piece MICRO puzzle finished measures just 3'x5' inches Price £4.99

Venitian Gondolas

This 250 piece puzzle finished measures 10'x14' Price £22.95

Fort Mahon

This 40 piece MICRO puzzle finished measures just 3'x5' inches. Price £4.99

History of wooden jigsaw making
John Spilsbury, a London engraver and mapmaker, is accredited with being the maker of the first wooden jigsaw puzzle in around 1760. He mounted a map on a sheet of wood and cut around the borders of the countries using a fine-bladed marquetry saw. His object was to teach children their geography.

Until about 1820 these wooden jigsaw puzzles remained entirely educational tools, being used to teach history, geography and other subjects in a way that made learning fun.

Throughout the 19th century, as British political and industrial influence grew, the range in wooden jigsaws also grew to reflect themes of knowledge and science, with images as diverse as nursery rhymes, trains, landscapes and ships often appearing.

In 1880, with the invention of 'treadle jigsaws', what had previously been known as 'dissections' came to be known as jigsaw puzzles, although they were actually cut by 'fretsaw'! Interestingly, without this quirk we could now be talking about 'wooden fretsaw puzzles', instead of wooden jigsaw puzzles!

Towards the end of the century 'Victorian' craftsmen took advantage of even finer blades to start cutting recognisable shapes into the jigsaws. These wooden jigsaw shapes soon became known as 'Whimsies' because they were included on a craftsman's 'whim'. Some examples of 'Whimsies' can be viewed by following this link and a 'themed' selection of 'Whimsies' is included as standard with nearly all Wentworth wooden jigsaw puzzles.

The first Golden Age of wooden jigsaw puzzles came in the 1920's and 1930's with companies like Chad Valley and Victory producing a wide range of wooden jigsaws that reflected both the desire for sentimental scenes and the enthusiasm for the new technologies in rail and shipping. Jigsaw puzzle design also became more intricate and difficult and they were sold as much to adults for challenging pleasure, as to children. Companies like Cunard and The Great Western Railway also used wooden jigsaw puzzles for advertising purposes.

In the 1930's the need to cut costs in both materials and labour led to the development of the mass-produced cardboard puzzles that could be stamped out on giant industrial presses, and unfortunately the decline of the jigsaw puzzle began. Television also took its toll until quite recently a desire for leisure activities that adults could participate in actively with family and friends re-kindled interest in jigsaw puzzles.

With this interest there was a distinct requirement for a return to high quality, wooden jigsaw puzzles with a wide range of images and intriguing and challenging cut designs. The jigsaws also needed to be cheaper than labour-intensive hand-cut puzzles and able to be economically produced in either high or low order quantities to satisfy the market demand.

In 1995, after two years of research, and using two very different state-of-the-art technologies, a process was developed, unique throughout the world, which is now used today to create the high quality traditional wooden jigsaw puzzles manufactured by the Wentworth Wooden Jigsaw Company.

Swifts Barn
Stanton Fields
Stanton
Broadway
Worcestershire
WR12 7ND