Does anybody own a "Par" puzzle?
In Anne Williams's book on the history of jigsaw puzzles, she cites Stave as the successor to Par Puzzles which was in business until the 70's. Since I read that chapter, I've been watching ebay and have noticed that the Par puzzles that show up there fetch a pretty high price. Not nearly as much as Stave if using size and piece count as a measurement.
I'd be interested in how they compare in quality. I'd like to get ahold of one just for its antique value, but it's tough to bid on something when you can't see the completed product and you don't have the same quality assurance from an independent ebay seller.
I'd be interested in how they compare in quality. I'd like to get ahold of one just for its antique value, but it's tough to bid on something when you can't see the completed product and you don't have the same quality assurance from an independent ebay seller.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Dee Rogers on -
Hi Adam,
I think e-bay is OK for some things, but I always worry that I going to get cheated somehow.
If your looking for older puzzles to collect (such as Par) you should try Bob Armstrong's website,
www.oldpuzzles.com He buys and sells older puzzles, from many different companies, he is in the business of restoring wooden jigsaw puzzles. We (my husband Steve and I) went to his house in Worcester Massachusetts last summer and what a treat, we went from this basement to his attic and we must have looked at thousands of puzzles. While your at his website you should check out the upcoming "puzzle parley" set for November 7-9,2008. Anne Williams will be there and she is going to speak on the history of jigsaw puzzles as well as others. It will be a weekend for people to get together and puzzle and it's open to the public. You can find all the details on his website. I'll be there, this will be the first one we ever attended, so I hope others come and check it out also.
-Dee
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Permalink Reply by Jennifer on -
Hi Adam, Par puzzles are, indeed, beautiful. We have a few here in the shop that have been sent to Steve over the years and they are lovely. I think Par's quality over the years was excellent but that doesn't guarantee a puzzle bought on Ebay would be the same. I think overall Ebay sellers are pretty honest in letting you know the quality of the item. Maybe just ask the seller if the puzzle has any paper lifts, wood chips out of the back, etc. In looking at their stuff I think some of their silhouette shapes were kind of thin so if anything is going to break it would probably be those. They used a lot of neat fanciful designs as silhouettes, like fleur de lis shapes and other geometric type things. Their signature piece is a seahorse and for many years Steve didn't allow us to cut one in any of our puzzles in respect for Par. We have slowly begun using them but in different shapes and poses. We are proud to be compared to Par and work hard at continuing the excellent reputation and passion for puzzling they began so many years ago. Honestly, a true puzzler should have at least one Par in addition to all those Staves in their closet ;)
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