Jigsaw puzzle:The White Cliffs

From the firm's founding in the 1930s until the 1970s, Par Puzzles of New York's creations were called "the Rolls-Royce of jigsaw puzzles." Founders Frank Ware and John Henriques began cutting puzzles to amuse themselves when they were out of work because of the Great Depression. But a commitment to quality and workmanship soon led to a steady stream of well-heeled customers, willing to pay more money for a quality puzzle. Par puzzles featured intricate cutting, figural pieces, irregular borders, and drop-outs--blank spaces within the puzzle frame. And each came with a "par" time for assembly--usually impossible to match. Custom work for special orders included owner's initials within a drop-out space or as figural pieces within the puzzle. Eventually Par made puzzles for heads of state as well as Hollywood. The two men kept the business until the 1970s.

Par made "The White Cliffs" puzzle for Geneva C. Mann around 1953. Unusual in its two-piece format, it is also very large. Par often included a "par time" on the box label--a challenge to puzzlers to match. This puzzle's par time is "ask G.C.M." (owner Geneva Mann). It was undoubtedly difficult and time-consuming to piece together.