Hamley Bros. London Rare c. 1880 "Dissected Map" of the World Puzzle in Original Box gouache on pith or as a paperweight

or as a paperweight

nicely matted (the cream matte appears to be linen or silk) and in a simple black metal frame with a hook on the back for hanging

I really love this old box

and I especially love the detailed ink-drawings on those outer circles

and display

Hamley Bros. London Rare c. 1880 "Dissected Map" of the World Puzzle in Original Box gouache on pith or as a paperweightThis is a rare one, and in fact I can't find its exact match, but there were others similar produced in both London and the United States by other companies, which help date to about 1880, maybe a few years earlier. What I've learned is that "dissected maps" (lithography maps mounted to wood and cut into pieces) were one of the earliest types of educational tools for children, used in early kindergarten, and among the first iterations of the jig saw