The Silent Teacher, or The Great Map Novelty! Something for the Home, the School, and Kindergarten Instruction . . . Map of the United States and World
Norwich, NY: Union Sectional Map Co., c. 1870s. Item #10308
Original double-sided sectional map puzzle, lithographed paper over wood (17-3/4" x 11-1/4" when completed), with calendared paper border; housed in original green paper-covered lidded box (approx. 8-1/2" x 6-1/2" x 2-1/2") with printed paper paste-on to top of lid. One puzzle piece with a separated section, but it is present; a few of the large pieces have some mild warping to the wood; image with age toning and minor spotting, but generally a handsome puzzle generally, in Very Good condition, or nearly so. The box is worn with two side of the lid missing; printed portion toned and unevenly spotted; remnants of two paper labels on the sides of the box; Good.
Unrecorded version of this popular educational map puzzle attributed to D. and M.C. Wiggins of New Haven, New York, in margin of the United States map. The map most likely dates sometime between 1872 and 1877: the Dakotas and Montana are still territories (and would remain until the late 1880s), Yellowstone Park is present as its own piece, suggesting that the founding of the Park is still novel. Also, Tucson is noted as the capital of the Arizona Territory—a status it held from 1867-1877. This version also provides a list of quiz questions along the bottom margin of the United States map, consistently referring to Canada as "British America." The verso map puzzle depicts six hemispheric views of the world surrounded by six engraved vignettes (Animals of South America, the Cities of Tangier and Funchal, and desert, mountain, and jungle scenes). A brief Biblical chronology of the world is provided along top margin. Though we find other examples in OCLC of similar educational puzzles from the same era, none conform to this example.
Price: $950.00