Collections Item Detail
Jigsaw puzzle: "One of Lipton's Tea Estates." Copyright 1933 Thos. J. Lipton, Inc.
Object/Artifact
Jigsaw puzzle: "One of Lipton's Tea Estates." Copyright 1933 Thos. J. Lipton, Inc.
Die-cut pieces, printed paper on cardboard, ca. 9-1/4" high x 12" wide; complete original but for one replaced, made-up, piece as received (see image); with original printed paper envelope, 9-1/2" x 12-1/2" wide; unaddressed and unmailed.
Issued by the Thomas J. Lipton, Inc., Hoboken, N.J., which was the American headquarters for the Lipton Tea company at this time.
Copyright and puzzle title printed on puzzle front as above; reverse is blank.This item is considered as an advertising premium, novelty or toy. The image is a southeast Asian vista of a tea plantation with an elephant bearing a large chest of tea. The Lipton name appears multiple times including the depiction at the upper left of a box of Lipton Tea and at the upper right of a can of Lipton Coffee (key opening can.) This can is one that used an image of the Lipton Tea building in Hoboken. As printed here, the detail of the building is crudely represented (see detail image attached), but refer to objects 2013.005.0002 where an actual can shows it as it was produced.
The puzzle is not numbered nor is there a manufacturer's name. Another puzzle from Lipton in the same year is known - see notes.
Printed text on envelope:
From Thos. J. Lipton, Inc.
Hoboken N.J.
Indicia text includes: Hoboken, N.J.
Addressee lines are blank.
This envelope contains the famous
Lipton Jig-Saw Puzzle.
2013.005.0001
2013.005
Lukacs, Claire
Gift
Museum Collections. Gift of a Friend of the Museum.
1933
Notes: At least one other different puzzle has been seen: "Transporting Lipton's Tea from the Gardens" which also carried the 1933 copyright and did depict a box of tea, but not the coffee can. While similar in size it had a much different style of printed envelope which included a small image of the completed puzzle. Status: OK Status By: dw Status Date: 2013-02-12