Chad Valley jigsaws
British India Line puzzles
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Taken from a large Chad Valley advertising sheet circa 1930
The British India Steam Navigation Company was first so named in 1862, becoming part of the P&O group of companies through amalgamation in 1914 it continued with its own identity and organisation until 1972. As far as we know, Chad Valley made no more than five puzzles for the British India Steam Navigation Company during the late 1920s and early 1930s. In our collection we have four examples of these puzzles as produced for British India, and a Chad Valley branded version included here for completeness.
Taken from a large sheet advertising many of the Chad Valley jigsaw puzzles from around 1930, this small section illustrates two of these puzzles, the s.s.Talambe and s.s. Matiana, both costing 2/6. A third puzzle is also mentioned, the s.s. Tairea, which cost 1/- and is quoted as having 150 pieces. This was in fact incorrect as this smaller puzzle actually had 50 pieces and measured only 9" x 5", it was based on a painting by Jack Spurling. To date we have not been able to add an example of this very rare puzzle to our collecton.
200 pieces (approx. 13⅞" x 13⅛")
This example is contained in a small pink marbled book type box measuring about 6¾" x 8" x 2¼" deep. The large front label carries the coloured guide picture, the B.I logo and two house flags. In small text at the bottom it states the the puzzle was 'Published by British India Steam Navigation Co. Ltd., Manufactured by the Chad Valley Co. Ltd., Harborne, England'. The spine carries two labels, one stating the number of pieces and the upper one giving the puzzle title.
Painted by James Greig, the picture is signed 'GREIG' at the bottom left and shows the liner Matiana at anchor in an unknown location.
125 pieces (approx. 16" x 11")
First produced for the British India Steam Navigation Company in the early 1930s, this puzzle is contained in a red lift-off lid box which measures about about 10½"x6½"x1¾" deep. The large front label which covers almost the whole lid carries a large coloured guide picture, the B.I logo and two house flags. In small text at the bottom it states the the puzzle was 'Published by British India Steam Navigation Co. Ltd., Manufactured by the Chad Valley Co. Ltd., Harborne, England'. The title is not printed on either the box or title picture for our example. It is believed that this title might also have been produced with 150 pieces at .
The painting is signed and dated 1925 by the artist Charles Dixon. It shows the BI liner Matiana at anchor with another unidentified BI liner in the background. There is a hive of activity by the Matiana with many local craft busy ferrying passenges to shore.
175 pieces (approx. 15¾" x 11")
First produced with Chad Valley branding and 250 pieces in a marbled book type box, this later, and smaller, Chad Valley branded example is contained in a small claret book type box measuring about 6¾" x 8" x 2¼" deep. The box is wrapped in a single printed paper overlay which includes the name of the puzzle on the spine and the Royal Warrant of 1938-1952 which helps date this example to between the mid 1940s and the early 1950s. A monochrome guide picture is attached to the front of the box. At some point the number of pieces has been changed as a small label has been applied amending it to 175. Interestingly, this puzzle is also seen on our Boots jig-saw advertising sheet and that version has 150 pieces.
200 pieces (approx. 15¾" x 11¾")
This puzzle is contained in a standard size Chad Valley book type box which measures about about 6⅜"x9⅜"x2⅝" deep. The large front label carries a coloured guide picture, the B.I logo and two house flags. In small text at the bottom it states the the puzzle was 'Published by British India Steam Navigation Co. Ltd., Manufactured by the Chad Valley Co. Ltd., Harborne, England'. The rather long puzzle title is carried on the upper spine label with the lower one giving the number of pieces.
The painting is signed by the artist James Greig and shows the vessel in crusing colours moving slowly beneath the Levensau High Bridge on the Kiel Canal. This bridge was first opened in 1894, largely as seen in the painting. It was however extensively reworked in 1954 with the towers at each end being removed and the carriageway enlarged and so looks quite different today. The 61 mile long Kiel Canal was finished in 1895 and links the North Sea at Brunsbüttel to the Baltic Sea at Kiel-Holtenau saving vessels about 250 nautical miles by not going around Denmark. The canal was widened between 1907 and 1914 to allow for the passage of larger warships and it remains an important, and very busy, waterway.
150 pieces (approx. 15⅞" x 11")
This puzzle is contained in a red lift-off lid box which measures about about 10½"x6½"x1¾" deep. The large front label which covers almost the whole lid carries a large coloured guide picture, the B.I logo and two house flags. In small text at the bottom it states the the puzzle was 'Published by British India Steam Navigation Co. Ltd., Manufactured by the Chad Valley Co. Ltd., Harborne, England'. The title is not printed on either the box or title picture for our example.
This rather dark painting is signed by the artist J.Spurling towards the bottom left corner, and is dated 1927. It depicts the ship, named on its bow, at anchor in an unknown harbour with another six large ships in the background. Each shipping company could be identified by the colour scheme of the funnels and it would seem that there are at least four companies represented here. The main subject and another vessel fourth from the left can be identified by the two white bands on their black funnels as belonging to the British India Steam Navigation Company. Second left, with an orange/red funnel with black top and white stripe, is possibly a White Star Line ship. Third from the left can be seen the black topped red funnel of a Cunard vessel. A number of local craft are busying themselves and passengers are being transferred down the rather long gangway which has been lowered down the side of the ship.
300 pieces (approx. 15⅞" x 11¼")
This Chad Valley branded version has 300 pieces and is contained in a small marbled book type box measuring about 6¾" x 8" x 2¼" deep. A monochrome guide picture is attached to the front of the box.
Interestingly, it is known that this puzzle was also produced with an almost identical label and guide picture but with P&O branding and carrying the P&O house flag on the label. Across the top of the label it stated that it was Published by the P&O Steam Navigation Company. This picture was also used for a puzzle of the same title produced for sale under the BOOTS brand.
