jigsaw puzzle: The Stirrup Cup

Mr. Milton Bradley himself (1836-1911) founded the company that bears his name in Springfield, Massachusetts. Bradley was the first printer in that area to use lithography. He produced his first board game, The Checkered Game of Life, in 1860 but at first viewed games as only a sideline. When a pocket sized game kit called Games for Soldiers sold well during the Civil War, Bradley turned to game production full time. Bradley was extremely interested in early childhood education and, growing out of this interest, the company produced many hundreds of different children's puzzles during its existence, mostly from thick cardboard. During the jigsaw crazes of 1908-1910 and 1932-1933 Bradley made several lines of wooden hand-cut puzzles for adults. In 1933 the firm added cardboard puzzles for adults - its most popular and long lasting brand was the Big Ben puzzle, introduced in 1941.

The firm's 124-year history made it the largest American producer of jigsaw puzzles in all materials. Hasbro acquired Bradley in 1984, and continues to use the Bradley brand for puzzles and games.