Guide to making a CATALOGUE or DATABASE for Puzzle Collections.

Headings for cataloguing puzzle collections could include all the items below; however in practice, without paid curators, it is probably advisable to be selective and limit the amount of information recorded.

GENERALISED INFORMATION

• Generic name of puzzle or Objective if not obvious. **
• Class+Subclass, Dimensions, Number of pieces, Qualifiers. **
• Inventor.

INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO THIS OBJECT

• Theme or Advertisement (subject).
• Materials.
• Dimensions A, B, C, d = diameter (at least one required for scale). **
• What the dimension refers to. i.e. Box, Envelope, Biggest Piece, Assembled Puzzle.
• Patent & Markings.
• Notes. References. Designer.
• Manufacturer or Publisher's Name and Country.
• Type of Manufacturer. i.e. Mass Produced (over 5000 pieces made), Quality Craft made (commercial but small volume), Home made, or Tribal.
• Year of Manufacture (even if approximate). Our method is to put 1853 for an exact date, 1850s for accuracy within the decade, 1850c for accuracy within 10 years either way, 1850? For an educated guess. **
• Country of Manufacture if different from Publisher's Country
• Manufacturer's Series Name * Manufacturer's Product Name
• Number in complete SET, if known
• Number of Set in collection
• A picture or photograph
• Solution

INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO THIS COLLECTION

• Location/cabinet/bin * Acquisition Details: * Acquisition/Catalogue Number **
• Condition (Excellent, Good, Fair, Poor)
• Condition Qualifying note. i.e. a puzzle may have a cracked glass top or be missing one piece, but otherwise be excellent.
• Source
• Date
• Cost
• Insurance value
  
  ** Indicates fields that are always required 20th December 1999

Some suggested improvements suggested 2000-2017 concerning Puzzle Cataloguing Database

• INPUTS A field for manufacturer’s website.
• 4 check boxes for Materials (as used by Frans de Vreugd): -
  • Metal,
  • Wood,
  • Plastic,
  • Other (The current Materials field can be used for this detail).
• 4 checkboxes for Type of Manufacture??
  • Commercial = thousands made,.
  • High Quality Craft, (Like puzzles by Tom Lensch, Stewart Coffin, Jerry Mcfarland.
  • Standard Craft,
  • Poor DIY
• 4 checkboxes for Included items (as used by Frans de Vreugd): -
  • Original commercial packaging,
  • Instruction Leaflet,
  • Solution,
  • Other
• Scales 1 to 5 re Puzzle, Aesthetics, Quality

OUTPUTS.

• Database to output a list of all existing files on disk related to the records AqNo. (ie starting with AqNo. but show all pictures and files related to item) Implemented on website in 2017.
• Printing an Illustrated catalogue
• Printing tiny Puzzle identification labels with AqNo., Maker, Year, & Product name.
• Printing catalogue cards

Some of the current field names could be renamed for clarity (e.g. “Theme-Advertising” to “Keywords”)

Database needs an IPP Exchange field, and a LOANS field

 

You may freely distribute this document either in its entirety or in part subject to acknowledging the source.

If there are any updates they may be found at http://puzzlemuseum.com.

• Puzzle Classification Home Page

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