Mrs O'Brien Picture Puzzle 700pc At Home In Papua ES Hardy 5pcmiss 5

            Several A1 Puzzle Club jigsaws cut by 'Mrs O'B' have turned up so I was intrigued when this one surfaced. The packaging of this one is identical to those, but the label carries the cutter's branding rather than the club's. Mrs O'Brien's address is given as 12 Seafield Drive, New Brighton. Two faded inscriptions on the label probably indicate former owners.

The A1 Puzzle Club was run from a number of addresses, but split into London & Liverpool distribution centres. Mrs O'Brien ran the Liverpool one, with the address known 12A/125 Hartington Rd, Liverpool. We have more London examples surviving - including ones cut by Mrs O'B - that branch was run by Mrs Edith Williams of 38 Shalimar Gdns, Acton W3 or Grovesnor House, Acton Vale.

This jigsaw was not in great condition when I bought it for a modest price in March 2020, with '5pcmiss & 4nibs missing'. It had great line-cutting, continuous cutting within the colour areas and was an unusual illustration by ES Hardy that I'd not seen before. It is well worth commissioning five replacements and repairing the large area of missing rear ply - even if only with card. 

Internet research revealed that ES Hardy was Beatrice Evelyn Stuart Hardy, born c 1865-70 into a family of British artists around Bristol. She worked for famous publisher Ernest Nister, illustrating and also writing some children's books. Her illustrations were of Mother Goose, fairy tales, Biblical, Indian and Far East subjects. This included an illustrated Bible & a Mahabharata adapted for children.

Evelyn's older brother, Norman Heywood Hardy (1864-1914) toured the pacific/far east and in 1907 produced a book 'The Savage South Seas'. He visited Papua, the Solomon Isles & the New Hebrides. This presumably informed her work.

Taken on: April 13, 2024

Sets appears in: • Beyond European Shores April 2024 • Jigsaws for Repair

Groups appears in: • Artistic Puzzles • Traditional Wooden Jigsaws more » • BCD Just Jigsaws « less

Stats: 192 views / 2 comments

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