AN item brought in to a Wareham valuation event turned out to be a jigsaw dating back more than 150 years in “remarkable condition”.

The antique ‘dissected’ jigsaw puzzle, believed to date back to 1870, was uncovered during the charity valuation event hosted by the Max Beaumont Fine Art & Consultancy at the parish hall.

Members of the public are urged to bring along their items where Max himself will look them over, in return for a suggested £5 donation to hall funds.

And at a recent event, one visitor brought in their old map, which turned out to be a very rare find.

Crafted by William Peacock of London, the puzzle features a detailed map of England and Wales.

And Max said it is considered a remarkable piece of history.

He said it was a “rare survivor in remarkable condition for its age”. The first dissected puzzles were created in 1760 by John Spilsbury, using a marquetry saw, he said.

“These early puzzles were made by mounting maps onto hardwood sheets and cutting along national boundaries, making them valuable educational tools for teaching geography,” Max added.

The puzzle’s owner was surprised to learn similar examples are housed at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, and that the piece could be worth several hundred pounds to a collector.

Other interesting finds at the event included a collection of antique and modern coins, along with a pair of lava cameo earrings.

The next antiques valuation day will be held at Wareham Parish Hall on November 1, from 10am to noon.