![SPILSBURY, John (1739-1769). Europe divided into its Kingdoms. London: J. Spilsbury, [c.1766].](https://www.christies.com/img/LotImages/2018/CKS/2018_CKS_16018_0228_001(spilsbury_john_europe_divided_into_its_kingdoms_london_j_spilsbury_c17082118).jpg?w=1)
![SPILSBURY, John (1739-1769). Europe divided into its Kingdoms. London: J. Spilsbury, [c.1766].](https://www.christies.com/img/LotImages/2018/CKS/2018_CKS_16018_0228_002(spilsbury_john_europe_divided_into_its_kingdoms_london_j_spilsbury_c17082130).jpg?w=1)
![SPILSBURY, John (1739-1769). Europe divided into its Kingdoms. London: J. Spilsbury, [c.1766].](https://www.christies.com/img/LotImages/2018/CKS/2018_CKS_16018_0228_000(spilsbury_john_europe_divided_into_its_kingdoms_london_j_spilsbury_c17101720).jpg?w=1)
Details
SPILSBURY, John (1739-1769). Europe divided into its Kingdoms. London: J. Spilsbury, [c.1766].
A very rare example of the earliest known jigsaw puzzle, in remarkably fine and near-complete condition. The formulation of the earliest jigsaws, known as ‘dissected maps’, originates in John Jefferys’ A Journey Through Europe, a map game published by Carrington Bowles in 1759. Though the exact relationship between the cartographic engravers and the publishers John Jefferys (fl.1720-1750) and Thomas Jefferys (c.1710-1771) is unclear, they operated in close proximity, the former at Westminster, the latter at Charing Cross. Thomas became Geographer to the Prince of Wales from 1746, and later to the King. In 1753 Spilsbury entered into an apprenticeship with Thomas Jefferys, and may have first become acquainted with John's game at this period. Upon leaving Thomas’ employ in 1760, Spilsbury established his own business in Russel Court, Covent Garden. He appears at this address in Mortimer’s Universal Director for 1763, where he is described as ‘Engraver and Map Dissector in Wood, in order to facilitate the Teaching of Geography’. This suggests Spilsbury was already making jigsaw maps by this time, although no earlier ‘dissected map’ appears to have survived. Only one copy of the current map is known with a printed date of 1766; in the present lot, the date has been erased from the plate, suggestive of a later impression. Linda Hannas, The English Jigsaw Puzzle (1972), pp.15-20, 84; Tooley, Dictionary 4, pp.196-7.
Hand-coloured engraved sheet (453 x 480mm assembled), mounted on wood and dissected to form a puzzle (lacking the islands of Corsica and Sardinia and Italy’s heel, ink mark to Spain). Contained in a later wooden box (extremities rubbed, ‘Europe’ inscribed in ink on upper cover).
A very rare example of the earliest known jigsaw puzzle, in remarkably fine and near-complete condition. The formulation of the earliest jigsaws, known as ‘dissected maps’, originates in John Jefferys’ A Journey Through Europe, a map game published by Carrington Bowles in 1759. Though the exact relationship between the cartographic engravers and the publishers John Jefferys (fl.1720-1750) and Thomas Jefferys (c.1710-1771) is unclear, they operated in close proximity, the former at Westminster, the latter at Charing Cross. Thomas became Geographer to the Prince of Wales from 1746, and later to the King. In 1753 Spilsbury entered into an apprenticeship with Thomas Jefferys, and may have first become acquainted with John's game at this period. Upon leaving Thomas’ employ in 1760, Spilsbury established his own business in Russel Court, Covent Garden. He appears at this address in Mortimer’s Universal Director for 1763, where he is described as ‘Engraver and Map Dissector in Wood, in order to facilitate the Teaching of Geography’. This suggests Spilsbury was already making jigsaw maps by this time, although no earlier ‘dissected map’ appears to have survived. Only one copy of the current map is known with a printed date of 1766; in the present lot, the date has been erased from the plate, suggestive of a later impression. Linda Hannas, The English Jigsaw Puzzle (1972), pp.15-20, 84; Tooley, Dictionary 4, pp.196-7.
Hand-coloured engraved sheet (453 x 480mm assembled), mounted on wood and dissected to form a puzzle (lacking the islands of Corsica and Sardinia and Italy’s heel, ink mark to Spain). Contained in a later wooden box (extremities rubbed, ‘Europe’ inscribed in ink on upper cover).
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Robert Tyrwhitt
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