Sunday, March 25, 2012

The Art of Play: A Jigsaw Puzzle, "His Majesty the King and TRH Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret Rose," 1938

The V&A
Puzzle by Chad Valley depicting
King George VI with Princesses Margaret and Elizabeth, 1938
The Victoria & Albert Museum
 


In the 1930s, as today, games were designed to suit the age and ability of children.  One of the most popular “games” was the traditional jigsaw puzzle.  These color-printed cardboard puzzles often featured images of the Royal Family.  After the Abdication Kerfuffle ™, as King George VI ascended the throne, he was a figure to whom the children of Britain could relate since he was the father of two young girls—Princess Elizabeth (now Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II) and Princess Margaret Rose. 

This puzzle shows the continuing interest in the British Royal Family with a picture of King George VI (ruled 1936–52) and his two daughters riding ponies in Windsor Park in April of 1938.  The puzzle was made by the Chad Valley Company Limited.






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