Anne Belle Hand Crafted Wooden Jigsaw Puzzle " Merry - Go - Round Horses " 164 - 266
Item History & Price
Her name is Anne Belle, She was truly a special woman. Her hobby was a craft, her craft, her art. She has since past away leaving us with many pieces of her work. Each piece of art reflects not only her love and passion, but the quality she was so inspired to produce. I believe you would be hard pressed to find another artist as her. The various subject matter of Mrs. Belle's work does not define her as she truly was, but does; however, immorta...lize the childhood in us all. We may never know the driving force behind her craft, But we know it was guided by love and passion as she so expressed in her work. Each layer in her art is a work of quality that Mrs. Belle created to give everlasting enjoyment to her family, friends, and among others. Anyone obtaining a piece of Mrs. Anne Belle's work will not be disappointed and will surely know the quality of her art. A kindergarten teacher for 22 years, Mrs. Belle has certainly used her classroom, students, and position as inspiration for her craft. It is evident the Mrs. Belle has obtained several of her other inspirations from her travels. Whether at work, home, or away Mrs. Belle's has certainly entertained her family, friends, and more than likely included her co-workers and students. From her craft, Mrs. Belle's legacy will live on through the many hearts and eyes of the puzzlers who were, are, and will be fortunate to work a piece of her craft. I am not privy to dates and or periods in which Anne Belle produced her work except for a few notes she left behind. It's only a guess to assume which came before the other. There is a quality about her craft that suggest what may have been her earlier works and which may be the later.Description: This is a generalized description for Anne Belle puzzles (I will have many up for sale). You will not need to read each listing in its entirety. The title, size and piece count may not fit in the "Title" heading at the beginning of the listing, It; however, can be found in it's entirety in the area below following "Title". If needed, additional important information will also be included following "Additional Information" below that would otherwise not be noted in the generalized description of this listing. Not all puzzles have a title. I will try to give it one and will also note it below whether or not the title is original (meaning that Anne Belle either used the title associated with the piece in question or gave it her own). Age appropriate? Mrs. Anne Belle's creations are more likely to fit age groups of 5 - 6 and up. There are some with larger size pieces. You make the call, I'm no expert on this. Please look at the images to aid in your decision. In the case where a puzzle has irregular borders, I will list the size based on the farthest points respective to the width and length. Puzzle count: I have noticed some puzzles to be off the stated count by one or two or even by the number of figures that are with the puzzle. E.g. A puzzle count of 200 + 17 figures gives us a total of 217 pcs. Mrs. Belle may have stated the total as either 200+17=217, but actually was 199+17=216 or simply stated it as 200. In any case, please view the puzzle(s) count as an approximate. Puzzle size: I measure each puzzle first from left to right then top to bottom rounding to the nearest 1/8". Where puzzles do not have true right angles like a square, then I measured from the furthest points in both directions. Title: Original Title; - "Merry-Go-Round Horses" Size: 19 1/8" x 20" - 266 pcs - 18 figurals.Additional Information in regards to this listing only: A harder irregular shape puzzle. Description Continued:Anne Belle made each puzzle herself. She layered an image taken from posters and other printed items over a wood backing. There are a few different types of wood she used including, but not limited to, Masonite and sanded plywood (of various woods). All range in a thickness from 1/8" to about 3/8". I will include images that show the back and edges. Nearly most of Anne Belle's puzzles were put into tins or boxes and none, that I can tell, have an image with them. With nearly all of the puzzles, Mrs. Belle had left a note regarding the title and puzzle count. In some cases, she left additional notes regarding the puzzle. Some of these are addressed to Fred (I assume to have been her husband) and with some of these notes, he responded back. I will included images of any notes accompanying the puzzle. After each puzzle was cut, the she, Fred, or family assembled the puzzle. It is not clear how many times, if at all (but for a few) the puzzles was ever reassembled. Judging by the looks of most of the puzzles, you wouldn't be able to tell. There are some puzzles with slight discoloring. It appears that this may have been the product at the time of making or maybe her earlier beginnings. (She used some older prints). Think of this as character, and it works! There are; however, some puzzles with a fair amount of use and a few with some damage. Any noticeable use or damage will be mentioned in the "Additional Information" area of this page. I should also note that in some cases Anne Belle repaired or replaced a piece and was so noted. When finished and done with, each puzzle was stored within the main floor of the home. Most were put into collected tins. Some are wrapped in plastic/plastic bags for display or possibly to sell. At this time, the puzzle count ranges from 12 to over 400 pieces each. Many puzzles come with Figures that are in addition to the total of the puzzle count. Keep in mind, the tins are not included with the puzzle(s). Anne Belle's crafted art accumulated over the years. An estimate of the total of puzzles she created is unknown. I can attest for over 850 puzzles of which approximately 750 were in tins and boxes. I noticed that many of the tins had two or more puzzles within them. Accounting for this and what she may have given to family and friends or otherwise sold, I feel it is well worth believing Mrs. Anne Belle produced over 1, 000 puzzles. Update: I found in two tins with notes proving Anne Belle was working her craft as far back as April, 1989. The quality is as good then as it is now and I would assume she was in her craft well before this. You could say that these puzzles are one owner puzzles; however, since I currently have several of them in my possession that really doesn't hold true. It's not my intention to assemble all the puzzles that I have. I will assemble the smaller ones, or ones with lower piece count, this way I can give a clear picture of what they look like. Larger puzzles will be listed at a later date. Please follow if interested. Now that you know I have several of them in my collection, this is your chance to obtain a quality puzzle that will last generations.Shipping and Handling: **** We Combine Shipping! - Plus Get Free Shipping With Over $99.00 In Total Purchases!****(See Details Below) We combine shipping for multiple orders over a seven day period. Any transaction or transactions totaling over $99.00 will receive free shipping within the continental U.S. Please allow one business day for processing and Shipping. For shipping purposes, I offer either First Class, Priority, or Express Mail. Where purchases are made and the buyer does not receive automatic discounts, if qualified, I will reimburse the differences back through PayPal. International buyers will receive either 10% off the total purchase or Free Shipping whichever is the lesser. (Puzzles which are shipped in tins are a mater of convenience).Returns and Guarantees: Each puzzle is guaranteed for quality, workmanship, and completeness. We will accept returns for any reason, but the buyer will be responsible for return postage.Other Notes: I/we reserve the right to make any amendments to this listing and to any or all listings in regards to Anne Belle Puzzles. With so many puzzles to list, it is possible that changes may occur. If any changes are made they will be made in their appropriate section of this as well as any and all Anne Belle Puzzle listings. It is possible that there may be others selling Anne Belle Puzzles. Whether or not they would state that remains unknown. It also cannot be prevented in keeping someone from copying the title to any one of my Anne Belle puzzles. Please note that the title in all of my Anne Belle Puzzle listings will begin with "Anne Belle Hand Made Wood Puzzle" followed by a title, a number (for my inventory purposes), and the size if possible. The beginning bid amount reflects a fraction of the estimated cost that would otherwise be charged by another highly skilled puzzle maker.
