John Spilsbury (British, 1739-1769) (2)

John Spilsbury (British, 1739-1769) Two rare 18th century jigsaws or 'dissected maps' titled England and Wales Divided into their Counties, the first later framed, with multiple losses, the publishing details dated 1767; the second jigsaw, undated, with four losses together with a labelled box (2) Footnotes: Considered to be the inventor of the jigsaw, Spilsbury was initially apprenticed in 1753 to Thomas Jefferys, a leading English cartographer and Royal Geographer to George III. Under his tutelage, Spilsbury finessed his craft before setting out on his own in Convent Garden in 1760. As the children's publishing industry began to take off in the mid-18th century, he had the idea of mounting a map to board and cutting it into pieces along county lines for children to reassemble. According to Mortimer's Universal Director, by 1763 he described himself as 'Engraver and Map Dissector in Wood, in order to facilitate the Teaching of Geography'. Capitalising on the success of the first 'dissected map' (the term 'jigsaw' was not to be coined until the 1880's), Spilsbury went on to create eight variations: the World, Europe, Asia, Africa, America, England and Wales, Ireland, and Scotland. They offer a unique insight into Georgian attitudes to education and the ingenuity of craftsmen in England. Provenance Sotheby's, London, Continental and English illustrated books, private press books, children's books, juvenilia and related drawings, 26-27 July 1984, Lot 1044. For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com For further information about this lot please visit the lot listing