World War I Puzzles

There are many collectors of World War II puzzles, but few for puzzles depicting scenes from World War I. My interest goes back to my father who, after graduating from Brown University in 1917, enlisted as a private in the artillery and was shipped to France. After the Armistice, he returned an officer to court and eventually marry his college sweetheart, my mother. The “War to end all wars” obviously made a great impression on him, and I have picked up my interest from him. It was natural for me to start collecting puzzles depicting scenes from WW I, once I realized they were available and no one else seemed interested in them. The puzzles displayed below, while alphebetized by title, include men leaving for war, arriving in France, fighting both in the terrible trenches and in the sky (probably the most interesting), relaxing at the front and finally returning home (if they were lucky like my father). For the record: my father also served in WW II in North Africa, Sicily and Italy receiving 4 battle stars. There are many collectors of puzzles (mostly cardboard) depicting scenes from WW II. One key to collecting puzzles is to find a niche which you particularly enjoy but which interests few other collectors.

23 puzzles in this collection - Page: 1 2

	A Fond Farewell ca. 1909 253 pieces 13”H x 10”W Cut extensively along color lines 1909c. by an unknown maker, solid wood, non-interlocking. The young soldier is off to war after a last tender moment with his sweetheart. Artist: H. Giles.
	A Token of Friendship ca. 1933 300 pieces 10”H x 14”W While Away Puzzles Made in 1930s by While Away Puzzles, West Haven, CT, plywood, interlocking, some color line cutting, 30 figure pieces. Artist: Frank Schoonover.
	A WW I dogfight ca. 1932 200 pieces 9”H x 9”W Cut in 1930s by unknown maker, plywood, interlocking, color line cutting around wing insignia and small plane at top, 3 figure pieces, non-straight edge. Artist: Albin Hennings.
	Airplane Nieuport ca. 1940 300 pieces 11”H x 15”W Joseph K. Straus WW I dogfight as seen from above with lovely fields and river laid out below. Joseph Straus maker, circa 1940, plywood, interlocking. Artist: J.B. Deneen
	Battle Ground of the Nations ca. 1916 319 pieces 11”H x 19”W Parker Brothers / Pastime Pastime puzzle cut by #16, Parker Brothers, Salem, MA 1910s. Plywood, non-interlocking, cut long color lines with 26 figure pieces. Artist: Richard W. Rummell. Map is from packet of war maps published by Literary Digest and shows nations where war was to be fought.
	Battling in the Clouds ca. 1916 201 pieces 8”H x 14”W Cut 1910s by unknown maker, solid wood, semi-interlocking. This scene is of particular interest because of the machine gunner firing at the pursuing German aircraft lying down on the French plane’s wing. The primitive aircraft and manner of shooting at the opponent’s aircraft suggest this is very early in the war before the U.S. was involved. Artist: Farse?
	Bringing Them Home for Christmas 1930 255 pieces 10”H x 13”W Parker Brothers / Pastime Pastime puzzle made in 1930 by Parker Brothers, Salem, MA, plywood, interlocking, color line cutting, 30 figure pieces. Artist: Frank Schoonover.
	Cantigny: The Americans Won Their First Laurels ca. 1919 188 pieces 8”H x 14”W Millers / Family A Family jigsaw puzzle made by Millers, Mechanicsburg, PA 1919c. Plywood, semi-interlocking, cut with 3 figure pieces spelling "USA" in sky. Artist: Frank Schoonover. Printed description of battle glued on box cover reads, "EARLY in the morning of May 28, 1918, three battalions of our 28th Infantry, First Division--the first to land in France, swept out of their trenches and, aided by Fench tanks and Franco-American Artillery, captured the strongly held village of Cantigny. A tense moment in that fight has been vividly caught by Mr. Schoonover, who worked from official photographs and descriptions by participants."
	Capturing 18 Huns Single Handed ca. 1918 378 pieces 1”H x 15”W Classic WW 1 propaganda for the homefront. Very doubtful if scene resembles actual horrors of trench warfare in WW I. Unknown maker. Plywood. Cut partially along color lines. Artist: unknown.
	Chateau Theirry 1928 200 pieces 9”H x 13”W Parker Brothers / Pastime Pastime puzzle cut along color lines in 1928 by #15 of Parker Brothers, Salem, MA, plywood, interlocking, 24 figure pieces. Artist: unknown.
	Closing Up 1990 128 pieces 9”H x 14”W Scott Armstrong / Armstrong Puzzles Cut in 1990 by our oldest son, Scott Armstrong, plywood, interlocking, color line cutting, highly irregular edges! The treatment of the edges was designed to evoke images of clouds and confuse the assembler. Bi-wing planes were used throughout the war and the Germans even used tri-wing aircraft! Artist: unknown.
	Gen. Allenby Enters Jerusalem 1919 200 pieces 12”H x 9”W Parker Brothers / Pastime Pastime puzzle cut along color lines in 1919 by #116 of Parker Brothers, Salem, MA, plywood, semi-interlocking, 24 figure pieces. Allenby entered Jerusalem December 9, 1917. Artist: unknown.
	Lafayette We Are Here 1928 600 pieces 22”H x 15”W Parker Brothers / Pastime Pastime puzzle made in Salem, MA by Parker Brothers in 1928, plywood, semi-interlocking, color line cutting, 72 figure pieces. An idealized version of the American Expeditionary Force led by General Pershing landing in France. Artist: unknown.
	Marines overrun German position ca. 1919 142 pieces 8”H x 14”W Cut 1919c. by the same unknown maker as "When the Marines Took Bouresches", solid wood, non-interlocking. This picture shows the true horrors of the trenches. Characteristic of many early amateur cut puzzles, foxing (discolor) has begun to show in the sky. Artist: unknown.
	Soldiers All ca. 1918 251 pieces 13”H x 10”W Isabel Ayer / Picture Puzzle Exchange Picture Puzzle Exchange puzzle cut extensively along color lines in the 1910s by Isabel Ayer, Boston, MA, solid wood, non-interlocking. Family military traditions prompted many young men to enlist in our all-volunteer army called the American Expeditionary Force. Artist: Marion Powers.
	Stories of the Western Front ca. 1920 104 pieces 9”H x 7”W Unknown maker, cut 1920c, plywood, semi-interlocking, cut along color lines with irregular top-protrusion (assembler not looking for woman’s head when putting together top edge). Artist: Norman Rockwell.
	The Battle of Argonne Forest ca. 9133 455 pieces 13”H x 9”W Robert England Cut in the 1930s by Robert England, Hingham, MA, plywood, interlocking. Insert in box describes the battle, “No more heroic struggle is recorded during the whole war. In the face of seemingly insurmountable difficulties the Americans were sent to drive the Germans out of their almost impregnable forest stronghold. They suffered terrific losses—BUT THEY DID IT!” Artist: unknown
	The Gallant Fight of Sergeant York 1930 205 pieces 8”H x 13”W Parker Brothers / Pastime Among the many acts of heroism performed by U.S. soldiers during the war was the single-handed capture of over 100 German troops by Sargeant York celebrated in this grim scene by unknown artist. Pastime puzzle cut along color lines in 1930 by #107 of Parker Brothers, Salem, MA, plywood. interlocking, 24 figure pieces.
	The Same Spirit ca. 1918 203 pieces 20”H x 15”W Patriotic posters like this became an important part of the critical effort to build support for the war at home. Cut 1918c. by unknown maker, solid wood, semi-interlocking, partially cut along color lines. A chromolithograph by artist W. Haskell.
	When the Boys Come Marching Home ca. 1918 255 pieces 8”H x 11”W Olive Novelty Co. Made 1910s by Olive Novelty Co, New Bedford, MA, plywood, interlocking, color line cutting. Obviously idealized but still, a lovely scene. Artist: unknown.

23 puzzles in this collection - Page: 1 2

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