Antique and Vintage DEXTERITY Puzzles
For Sale (or Exchange).

last update 2020-11-11a
Click on Thumbnails for bigger pictures then click the pictures again.
Ref. Price

 

"R.Journet & Company.
A brief history of the Company & its Puzzles"
by James Dalgety.
Consists of 18 pages of all that was known in 1989 about RJ Puzzles. Includes extracts from catalogues, collectors lists, etcetera. This is a fraction of what will be in the new book but still a very useful stop-gap for the impatient collector: -

for more details click here

 RJ-89 £9
       

McGinty at the Bottom of the Sea.

Rare Puzzle. Most of the mercury has gone. Otherwise in remarkable condition for its age.
Based on the 1889 song -Down went McGinty to the bottom of the sea.
They haven't found him yet, for the water it was very wet.		 DEX-303

£75

Horses in Oats.
This rare puzzle was possibly the first spinoff of Crandall's Pigs-in-Clover Craze of 1889..

 DEX-306 £75



WIMBLEDON CAMP PUZZLE.

Extremely rare historical tin puzzle in original box from 1889. At this time the British Army had a permanent camp at Wimbledon near the Windmill. see http://www.wimbledonwindmill.org.uk/history


Six coloured "tents" are fixed into the dish, there are 6 flags to match the tents. The original balls were almost certainly matching coloured sugar balls which have collapsed over the past 127 years badly staining the base of the cardboard box. (replacement wooden balls are included)
There are no original instructions but we think 6 coloured balls would have been lined up with a larger ball representing the officer, all balls then must be manoevered into the matching tents. Dish 7" (175mm). Box 195 x 195 x 70 mm.

(V225 dup of V447)

 DEX-327

£350

BULL IN THE RING.

Very unusual bull-fighting puzzle.

Try to get the six smaller balls (Bull-Fighters) wedged into the gaps, without the big ball (Bull) in the centre knocking them out.
Made by Arnold A. Herrman in New York 1946 see see US Patent 2,440,949

dup-of-P657

DEX-333 £59

THE FIVE LITTLE PIGS PUZZLE.
Very early dexterity by R.Bliss Mfg Co. 1880

(dup of V408)

DEX-338-  £59

"PADOZAS" or ORIENTAL SPOOF. 
"An old game of the 15th Century revived" the lid proclaims!  Clay or sugar balls replaced by glass balls. Reg.No 21942 dating it to 1885.

(dup of V225)

 DEX-340-  £ 45

BULB PUZZLE

(Neuestes Flaschen-Vexierspiel). Glass bottle, cork supports the brass tube.  Lead ball must be rolled from cork end of tube along a groove the if bottle inverted with exact time, the ball can be extracted.  Made in Germany by C.Q.N. c.1900

(dup of V169)

 DEX-343-  £40

THE GREAT DOG IN THE MANGER PUZZLE. 

Made by I.B.& Co. in 1880s.  Get the Horse past the the Dog.  Rare antique puzzle.

(N169 dup of V407)

 DEX-345-  £ 55

The MIDGET GOLF PUZZLE. 

Lithographed tin with rotating Joy Wheel and hidden area.  Made in Bavaria c.1920.

 DEX-371-  £45

L'ENERVANT or GAME OF EQULIBRUM.

  Metal plate, clay ball, original box  by Watilliaux, Paris.c1890.  See Hoffmann Chap1 Puzzle 8.

 DEX-372-  £49
       
       
       
 

Dexterity Puzzles made in USA mostly
1920s-1940 Glass Top, Tin edge, Card base, Various makers

   
Glass Top, Tin edge, Card base
 Dx004 £15
Glass Top, Tin edge, Card base.

Dx014

 £15
Glass Top, Tin edge, Card base
 Dx016 £15
Celluloid top
Dx019 £15
  English dexterities 1940s & 1950s. Tin base Glass top Various makers    
  Various dexterities    
Japanese rolled card edge cellulios top

Dx025

 £3
Mercury filled. On card
Dx029 £35
Lithographed tin glass Top 1953 Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II
Dx030 £45
Rare Spears Glass Top (corner of glass has a crack)
Dx032 £70

The "Dinkie Twins"
Rare Spears Glass Top Dexterity puzzle. Made in Bavaria in the 1920s. Designed by Chloe Preston. Put two rings on each dog's tail. Glass top, wood frame, card interior. 117 x 85 x 25 mm

 Dx034
xx		 £70
       
Rare Spears Glass Top
 Dx036 £70

"THE SPANISH TROCHA". Extremely rare Historical dexterity puzzle presumably dating from BEFORE the Spanish-American War of 1898. The "General" referred to became known as Weyler the Butcher" and it was he who reinforced the Trocha with 14,000 troops and electric light. The Trocha was  a fortified military line built between 1869 and 1872 in Cuba to impede the pass of insurrectionist forces to the western part of the island during the 1st War of Independence (1868–1878) and was 68 km long between Júcaro and Morón.

Glass top, with wood interior with one steel and 4 lead balls. 140 x 77 x 7mm

Dx040

xx

 £150
  Puzzles by R.Farmer & Son. from prior to World War I up to 1918, the year they stopped making puzzles.    
Farmer's "Query"
Dx050 £55
       
Tin zig-zag.
Dx062 £35
Plastic dexterity built into a hallmark Card
Dx065 £4
One of the "Glevum" series
Dx072 £60
One of the "Glevum" series
 Dx074 £55
  English card in metal case glass tops most 1946-1950s    
"Simple Simon" from the Rollo Series. Glass top, tin cased 1940s or 1950s English made dexterity puzzle

Dx078

xx

 £10
Dx079 £12
  Card case English puzzles 1930-1950s    
  Larger round German Dexterities    
Get the weighted fish into the trap. Under blue glass "sea".
Dx083 £85
Catch Rats in cages
Dx085 £55
Chad Valley's lithographed tin, celluloid top "Pigs in Clover"
Dx088 £35
  Amongst the earliest Glass Top Dexterities from around 1890s. Solid brass unless stated otherwise.
British manufacture. 		   
Pigs in Clover. Similar to Hoffmann 1/15 "The Maze" but crimp edge over glass
Dx089 £20
Hoffmann 1/1 "The Pick-Me-Up". Very rare example of the puzzle mentioned by Hoffmann in a footnote to the first puzzle in his book. 12mm thick x 44mm wide
Dx092 £120
Hoffmann 1/14 "The Five Horseshoes"
Dx093 £60
Hoffmann 1/16 "The Pitfall" with pimples not dimples
Dx094 £55
Hoffmann 1/16 "The Pitfall" with pimples not dimples (brassed steel)
Dx095 £40
Hoffmann 1/17 "The Fifteen Pellets"
Dx096 £60
Not in Hoffmann. rare "Nine Arcs" puzzle
Dx097 £85
Hoffmann 1/21 "The Four Colours Puzzle". Presumably the coloured balls were sugar and the have now evaporated hence low price.
Dx098 £40
Not in Hoffmann. "Card Suits & Square"
Dx099 £95
Hoffmann 1/15 "The Maze". glass has a single crack.
Dx100 £55
Georgian gambling button or decision maker.
Dx101 £75
Not Hoffmann. "The Juggler" Brass and nickle plated brass
Dx104 £130
Hoffmann 1/25. "The Fish"
Dx106 £120
 
   
       
  English manufacture probably 1920s - 1950s.    
  Standard size German Dexterities    
Harold Lloyd. Edge corroded. lenses have come loos from specs, so a double puzzle here: Put the lenses in place then put his spectacles on!
Dx122 £20
Put jockey on horse
Dx123 £35
Double sided so can be played as a two player dexterity puzzle - Red v. Blue team. Edge corroded and glass lightly foxed.
Dx124 £30
English. celluloid top tin cannister construction.
 Dx126 £40
Double sided so can be played as a two player dexterity puzzle - Red v.Green.
 Dx127 £40
  Small German dexterities many c1900-1914    
Red Squirrel
 Dx129 £25
Horse and Jockey
 Dx132 £15
Horse and Rider
 Dx133 £15
Cavalry officer on horse
 Dx134 £15
Soldiers tiger hunting from elephant howdah
 Dx135 £15
Japanese Geisha girl with fan
 Dx136 £15
Crazy red Owl
 Dx137 £15
THE DOME. Gibson "International Series" England 1930c.
Single crack in glass - clean and hardly noticeable. 		Dx138 £70
ROLY-POLY Gibson "International Series" England 1930c. Rare puzzle. Base card excellent, case needs putting together Dx140 £45

INTERNATIONAL SERIES "The Pyramid Puzzle". Rare dexterity, some gold edging missing or faded. The piece of corner wood has come loose but both challenges still perfectly feasible.

 DEX-156 £60

R.Journet Conger puzzle.

 Dx150 £95
Lucky Three. R Journet for Woolworths Dx153 £95
       
 

 

ALL SORTS OF DEXTERITY PUZZLE

   
MAGIC 360. A rip off of the Rubik 360.
Dx143 £4
This is a reproduction of the French 19th Century glass-top puzzle, made by Holler in Germany in 1988. It is probably better made that the original. Lid has one taped corner Dx147 £48
       
Little Red riding Hood. Put the hood on Dx151 £45
 

 

    

Folkart type puzzle. Draw a Hairstyle with a magnet.

 DEX-215 £2

ASSORTED BLISTERS PUZZLES too many to photograph please email. In mixed random lots of 5,10,15, or 20 all different!

These puzzles are no longer made see
more info on Blisters Puzzles

email how many you want (we corrently have around 60 available).

DEX-217 £2 each

 

ZIMA Sturdy plastic promotional advertising puzzle

 DEX-218 50p

SLY-FOX by Smethport 1980s

 DEX-220 £7

Very english seaside scene in a dexterity on the end of a candy tube (Sorry eaten all the candies!).

 DEX-222 £2
Ladybird and gnome dexterities DEX-223 £1
Ladybird and gnome dexterities DEX-224 £1
         
Starcades by Tomy. MINI MOUTH  Wind up, Switch On, Use button to try and get balls into snapping mouth as head goes around. DEX-260b £4
  Get ball in each of 6 compartments. Needs water topping up. DEX-263 £1
  4 Balls in holes. 2 layer Girl & Dog DEX-264 £1
   MOTO-CROSS on card.  POCKETEER by Tomy/Milton Bradley 1990 DEX-265 £15
  Tomy Pocket Arcade Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles LEONARDO'S PIZZA VAULT. 1982 Thailand DEX-266 £7
1 POCKETEERS - CUP FINAL DEX-268 £12
4 POCKETEERS - FISHING 1976 DEX-271 £4
5 POCKETEERS - BASEBALL 1975 DEX-272 £4
6 POCKETEERS - DRAGON TRAP DEX-273 £4
7 POCKETEERS - BIG HIT DEX-274 £14
         
9 POCKETEERS -
SENTENCE NONSENSE		 DEX-276 £7
2 POCKETEERS - CATCH A CATERPILLAR DEX-279 £3
3 POCKETEERS - ELECTION DEX-280 £4
4 POCKETEERS - MOTO CROSS DEX-281 £4
5 POCKETEERS - TIME'S UP DEX-282 £4
6 POCKETEERS - TARGET RANGE DEX-283 £4
8 POCKETEERS - PASS THE PUCK DEX-285 £4
9 POCKETEERS - ROBOT FACTORY DEX-286

£4
0 POCKETEERS - SECRET PASSAGE DEX-287 £4
21 POCKETEERS - CATCH A CATERPILLAR DEX-288 £3
22 POCKETEERS - DROP 'N' CATCH DEX-289 £4
24 POCKETEERS - SHOOTIN GALLERY DEX-291 £4
26 POCKETEERS - PITFALL DEX-293 £10
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
       
 

Puzzles below have been sold.

   
Dx001 sold
Dx002 sold
Dx003 sold
Dx005 sold
Dx006 sold
Dx007

 

sold

 
Dx008 sold
Dx009 sold
Dx010 sold
Dx011 sold
Card edge scruffy and cracked glass. WW2 in need of TLC
Dx013 sold
THE HUNGRY PUP dexterity puzzle.
Glass Top, Tin edge, Card base. Get both "bones" (capsules) onto his tray.

Dx015

 sold
Dx017 sold

PUSS IN THE CORNER.  Copyrighted by B Hawkins 1869. made by I.B.& Co. USA.  Rare  early wood and card puzzle.

(Q330 dup of V411)

 DEX-341-  sold

CHICKENS IN THE DOOR YARD.

An early dexterity from the 1880s. Card and wood with clay balls.

(dup of V406)

 DEX-342-  sold
Dx020 sold
Dx021 sold
Two Owls. Glass top, tin cased 1940s or 1950s dexterity puzzle from the JEPCO range.
 Dx022
 sold
Queen of Hearts. Glass top, tin cased 1940s or 1950s English made dexterity puzzle
Dx023
 sold
       
Beauty & the Beast. Glass top, tin cased 1930s or 1940s dexterity puzzle with lead balls.
 Dx024
 sold
Centrifugal Wood Hoffmann bearings
Dx026 sold
Centrifugal Wood Hoffmann bearings
Dx027 sold
"PUSS in BOOTS" Glass top, tin cased 1940s or 1950s English made dexterity puzzle.

Dx076

xx

 sold
       


Extremely rare Finnish Saving Bank game/puzzle.
------------
We were told that a Mr Korpela was interested in Space and flying and was chairman of the Finnish Space Club. He also owned a plastics factory. He invented this puzzle Avaruuskerho in 1967.

The first production run was 365 copies.
Mr Korpela sadly died, in an aeroplane accident, before the games came to market. Eventually the puzzles were found and they were all sold in a flea-market in Helsinki.
----------------------
1) Push the knob down. Turn TELLUS so that 10 is on the red mark. Free the knob.
2) Put coin in.
3) Now you can choose the force 1-20.
4) Push the knob etc, etc.
The skill lies in judging the setting to match the weight of the coin.

------------------------------------------

Very fine Space Graphics.

Dx152 sold
Farmer's "Trench Football"

Dx049

 sold
"Bulletelle" by R.Farmer & Son. from prior to World War I up to 1918, the year they stopped making puzzles.

Dx054

xx

 sold
       
Farmer's "Bulletelle"
Dx052 sold
Impossibly rare World War I anti-submarine dexterity. This example is fairly much a wreck in need of a lot of delicate restoration, hence low price.
Dx063 sold
Farmer's "Silver Bullet"
Dx042 sold

Farmer's rare "Get Rid of the Huns"
Sorry about reflections on glass.
Edges have been retaped a long time ago, there is still a little mercury inside so I have left it "as is"

Dx056 sold
One of the earliest followers of the 1889 Pigs-in-Clover craze.
Dx069 sold
Envee Series "Elephant & Mouse" Glass top, tin cased 1940s or 1950s English made dexterity puzzle

Dx077

xx

 sold
       
Performing Horse. Glass top, wood framed, steel balls dexterity puzzle. by E&S series No.152. (Ellisdons?)

Dx080

 sold
       
The central puzzle approached up a ramp is lithographed tin image of Studdy's Bonzo dog. 1920s
Dx087 sold
Hoffmann 1/24 "The Balance Puzzle"
Dx090 sold

Great Electrostatic Toy.
Waxed card with celluloid or similar top. Has a small tape repair to top but works very well.

Dx038 sold
Hoffmann 1/19. "The Hand of Cards"
Dx105 sold
Lithographed tin.
Dx121 sold
Rough and ready example. Mercury nearly all gone
Dx058 sold
A very smart kitchen but it still has a rat to catch
 Dx086 sold
Lithographed tin DRGM137321 and mirror back in good condition, tin edge complete but corroded
Dx109

sold
       
Made in England about 70mm diameter
Dx110

sold
Made in England about 70mm diameter
 Dx111 sold
Made in England about 70mm diameter
 Dx112 sold
Pip from Pip, Squeak & Wilfred cartoon. Made in England about 70mm diameter
 Dx113 sold
Herald from Alice in Wonderland. Made in England about 70mm diameter
 Dx115 sold
Lithograph tin, mirror back
Dx118 sold
Embossed Card, Mirror Back
Dx119 sold
       
1907 Coronation. Lithographed Tin, back mirror single crack
 Dx116 sold
Lithographed tin. back mirror cracked.
 Dx120 sold
cyclist
 Dx130 sold
       

HOLE-IN-THE HEAD. This is a "Must-Have" if only for the wonderful graphics on the box.

Dx141 sold

NOKKITT. Delightful uncased dexterity game.
Dx144 sold


The Drowned" or "Fly in the Soup". Original classic puzzle with 8cm diameter turned wooden bown from which you must remove the Fly (ball) using an infuriatingly inadequate "spoon". Been a great after-dinner amusement for over 100 years.

 

 Dx149 sold
Hoffmann 1/26. "The Marksman"
Dx107 sold
Farmer's "Silver Bullet"

Dx045

 sold
Atlantic Gibson "International Series" England 1930c Dx139 sold
Dx012 sold
Charming puzzle and fortune teller
Dx060 sold
HORSES-IN-OATS. One of the iconic early puzzles that followed on from the Crandall's Pigs in Clover craze of 1889. This example needs lots of TLC Dx142 sold
Box for all those "Made in Occupied Japan" dexterity puzzles. Box Only.
 Dx145 sold
       

 

Reproduction of 19th Century French puzzle. Put the golden egg into its nest. Has celluloid or similar top.

Dx148 sold
A rare puzzle with spectacular graphics from the Russian Japanese War of 1907.
Dx067 sold

The original and iconic Crandall's "Pigs in Clover" which started the world-wide craze of 1889. Complete with wooden top to the "pen".

DEX-155 sold

Antique PIGS IN CLOVER puzzle.

Not to be confused with the crudely made modern versions, this is beautifully made in Japan c.1919. Turned from a Japanese oak-like hardwood to a very high standard. Overall diameter is about 110 mm (4.5 inches) but the inner walls are amazingly thin, less than 1 mm thick (no glue just solid!).  Beautiful turning with nice inlaid pale circle. PLEASE check out OTH-367 & OTH-368 for other items by the same craftsman

(dup of V567)

 DEX-366-  sold
       

 

A MAZE 'N' TOP.
Unusual dexterity with top

DEX-219

sold

SLIK-SILVER. THE CANYON in wrong box but complete with instructions and water-dropper. Delightfule dexterity maze has a water-phobic coating so you put a drop of water in it and it behaves like quick-silver.

 DEX-221 sold

Roll the Barrel up the Elephants' backs to the end of their trunks. One of the great Spanish Los Impossibles Designs of the 1970s.

 DEX-226 sold
Ring O Peg puzzle by BabyWorld 1951. DEX-225 sold
Silly puzzle. Get Balls on Boobs. DEX-229

sold
Starcades by (Tomy) Coleco 1988. RESCUE HELICOPTER. Wind up, Switch On, Use button to hang a chain of balls on the heli as it flies back and forth, DEX-259 sold
Starcades by Tomy. MINI MOUTH  Wind up, Switch On, Use button to try and get balls into snapping mouth as head goes around. DEX-260 sold
Starcades by Tomy. SHOOTING GALLERY. Wind up, Set up targets, press start, flick the balls while the gun moves from side to side. DEX-261 sold
Starcades by Tomy. GOING APE.Wind up, press start, use switch to try and  flick the balls into the moving monkeys arms. He will then drop them into the trough. DEX-262 sold
  Tomy Pocket Games Catch A Caterpillar DEX-267 sold
25 POCKETEERS - SPACE INVASION DEX-292 sold
       
       
       
       

Get the Cup and teaspoon onto the saucer. Not easy as the magnet in the cup interferes with the teaspoon. One of the great Spanish Los Impossibles Designs of the 1970s.

 DEX-227 sold

Roll the balls to top of ramp then press button underneath to send to to its correct destination. One of the great Spanish Los Impossibles Designs of the 1970s.

 DEX-228 sold
2 POCKETEERS - COSMO KONG FEVER DEX-269

sold
         
1 POCKETEERS - COMBAT TANK GAME DEX-278 sold
3 POCKETEERS - HOMERUN 1978 DEX-270 sold
0 POCKETEERS - BI-PLANE BATTLE DEX-277 sold
7 POCKETEERS - FROG FIGHT DEX-284 sold
27 BLUE BOX - LUCKY BALL DEX-294

sold

 
         
23 POCKETEERS - PACMAN DEX-290 sold
28 POCKETEERS - BIG MATCH 
(box only)		 DEX-295 sold
8 POCKETEERS - FOOTBALL DEX-275 sold
29 POCKETEERS - CATCH A CATERPILLAR DEX-296 sold
THE HOOKER. Great Water filled glass puzzle. Hang the glass bubble on the hook. As the box says "you'll think you've experienced it all untill you've me The Hooker" DEX-257

sold

TWIN BEDS. 

A great and unusual dexterity.  Unusual for any dexterity, the puzzle has to end up on edge with the correct weighted celluloid dolls lying down in the correct beds.  Needs brains as well as dexterity.  Made c1930 by Wilder Mfg.Co. USA

(dup of N286)

 DEX-370-  sold
The British version of "Kilroy was here", Mr Chad "Wot no puzzles!"
Dx081 sold

The Way to Constantinople.

Extremely rare WW1 Puzzle all about Gallipoli.  See http://puzzlemuseum.com/month/picm15/2015-05-constantinople.htm		 DEX-301 sold
Hoffmann 1/1 "The Pick-Me-Up". Very rare example of the puzzle mentioned by Hoffmann in a footnote to the first puzzle in his book. 12mm thick x 44mm wide
Dx091 sold

PIGS IN CLOVER.  This appears to be an earlier perhaps 19th Century version.  Unusually large 148mm (5.8 inches) diameter.  Very fine turning. Inner walls only about 1mm thick and 14mm high from the same piece of wood as the base (no glue just solid!)

 DEX-369- sold
One of the most charming dexterities. Get the tin frogs with wriggling legs inder the tin water-lily leaves
Dx084 sold
Made in England about 70mm diameter
 Dx114 sold
1907 Coronation. Lithographed Tin, back mirror single crack
 Dx117 sold
C.W.S. (Co-operative Wholesale society) double sided glass-top promotional puzzle.
Simple to do but very clever and charming: Manoever the 1d (penny) coin into the money box. Turn puzzle over and "by magic" the coin has changed to a shilling!
 DEX-157 sold
Delightful puzzle from 1897
Dx071 sold
Black boy riding an Ostrich
 Dx131 sold
       
       
       
 
2020-10-26a