Chad Valley jigsaws
'Boots' puzzles
Click or tap to see larger images of these sheets
Large Chad Valley/Boots advertising sheets, mid and late 1930s
We are not sure when Chad Valley started manufacturing puzzles for BOOTS but we presume it was during the mid to late 1930s. It may appear strange that a brand known these days as a chemist and pharmacy should also sell jigsaw puzzles but at one time their shops, certainly the larger ones, offered a wide choice of services until the late 1950s or early 1960s. Amongst these were photograph developing and printing, picture framing, books, toys, and even a lending library.
All examples of Boots branded puzzles seen to date come in plain lift-off lid boxes about 7½" x 5¾" in size but with depths generally varying between 1¾" and 2". Other than a small monochrome guide picture there is no lid label. Printed on the lid are the words '3 PLY WOOD INTERLOCKING', the very large 'JigSaw PUZZLE' in a style similar to that used on other Chad Valley jigsaws, and 'Specially Manufactured for BOOTS by THE CHAD VALLEY CO. LTD. Harborne England'. A long white label was applied to the right hand end
of the lid detailing the price, title, and number of pieces of the puzzle. It is interesting to compare these boxes with that of the Antonia puzzle produced by Peacock Toys.
Our examples of the 'Inn of the Past' and 'A Chip off the Old Block' each came with a large, sadly undated, double-sided sheet listing other BOOTS jig-saw puzzles. There were puzzles of various sizes and it is interesting to compare both the differing prices on the two sheets and the changing sizes and titles on offer over time. The range of pictures used is interesting as the ship puzzles had been featured either in the 'Cunard' series or the 'British India Steam Navigation Co. Ltd.' series. The range, price and size of BOOTS puzzles did vary over time.
200 pieces (approx. 13½" x 9¼") price 2/6
The title of this puzzle may thought to be more correctly 'A CHIP OFF THE OLD BLOCK', but it appears that either spelling of the phrase was acceptable at the time. Nothing can be found about the background to this unsigned painting, although it carries the title and reference number (1013) on the bottom left, and has been seen used for puzzles by other manufacturers. It shows a 17th century drawing room scene with the five bewigged gentlemen being entertained by a young boy whilst enjoying a smoke and a glass of punch. They all wear red coats of the period. The monochrome guide picture
is attached to the base of the box in this example.
150 pieces (approx. 13⅜" x 9⅜") price 2/6
This puzzle depicts an unidentified, and probably fictitious, old country inn and, whilst not being signed by the artist, it is credited to Sidney Currie on the large advertising sheet which came with the puzzle. He died in 1930 so the painting may well have been completed during the 1920s, but this doesn't help us to date when the jigsaw itself was first published. The cut of this puzzle is interesting as it does not follow what might be described as being typical Chad Valley style. The cut essentially divides the picture into a series of vertical ribbons. Each piece in a ribbon interlocks with that above or below, but there are few pieces which interlock the ribbons together. This, together with the design of the box, might suggest that it was produced by the old Peacock Toys factory.
150 pieces (approx. 13⅞" x 9¾") price 2/6
Although the painting does not appear to be signed, it is believed to have been produced by G.S.Bagley and depicts the liner at an unknown location with two tugs in attendance. In the foreground two workers appear to be taking a break with one reading a newspaper whilst the other leads on some packing cases.The Berengaria was at one time flagship of the Cunard fleet, being their then largest and fastest liner. This image was also used for a puzzle of the same title produced from the mid to late 1920s for Cunard.
The box carries a small, dark sepia like, guide picture and small white label on one side detailing the price, title, and number of pieces. Included in the box of our example is the original packing slip
Click or tap link for a larger image. The puzzle is cut in the same style as that of the 'Inn of the Past' jigsaw.
150 pieces (approx. 15⅞" x 11¼") price 2/6
This rather dark painting is signed by the artist J.Spurling towards the bottom left corner, and is dated 1927. It depicts the ship, named on its bow, at anchor in an unknown harbour with another six large ships in the background. Each shipping company could be identified by the colour scheme of the funnels and it would seem that there are at least four companies represented. The main subject and another vessel fourth from the left can be identified by the two white bands on their black funnels as belonging to the British India Steam Navigation Company. Second left, with an orange/red funnel with black top and white stripe, is possibly a White Star Line ship. Third from the left can be seen the black topped red funnel of a Cunard vessel. A number of local craft are busying themselves and passengers are being transferred down the rather long gangway which has been lowered down the side of the ship.
Sadly the box is in poor condition with pieces lost from the lid and the label with the jigsaw title which would been attached is missing. The monochrome guide picture
is attached to the base of the box in this example. This picture was also used for a puzzle of the same title produced for the British India Steam Navigation Company.
300 pieces (approx. 17" x 11") price 5/-
Although undated, the painting is signed at the bottom left J.Bonny. John Bonny was born in 1874 and started his working career as a grocer's assistant and took up painting as a hobby before turning professional. He is mostly known for his landscape paintings in oil and watercolours of Tottenham and in and around London, with two of his works being on display at the Bruce Castle Museum in Tottenham.
This puzzle is not much bigger than the 150 piece ones, but it is cut into a greater number of smaller pieces. This has resulted in many very thin and fragile nibs, fortunately all still intact. The box follows the standard BOOTS design and size, although it is slightly deeper at about 2½", and carries a small black and white guide picture on the front.
We have also seen this same painting used for a 300 piece Salmon Academy Super-cut puzzle titled "Wooden Walls". Puzzles in this series were produced between 1933 and 1939 and this particular example had a complicated cut with the outside pieces interlocking but the centre pieces were push fit and cut round sails and hulls.
