First Jan van Haasteren puzzle – which puzzle is this?
The very first puzzle drawn by Jan van Haasteren was the 'Popeye Floor Puzzle' from 1975. NB – this puzzle was not commissioned by JUMBO! This is a very special floor puzzle with extra large puzzle pieces. The puzzle consists of only 16 large puzzle pieces. Dimensions of the puzzle are: 60 centimeters high and 47 centimeters wide. Dimensions of the puzzle pieces are: 16 centimeters high and 15 centimeters wide. This is a very rare puzzle for which you pay € 120-150 euros. Also in that year Jan van Haasteren drew a similar one floor puzzle from Olive. Nevertheless, the Popeye Floor Puzzle is considered to be Jan van Haasteren's very first puzzle.
Jan van Haasteren's first puzzle – 'Before Jumbo' and 'After Jumbo'
Actually, it is not at all easy to indicate what the first puzzle Jan van Haasteren drew was. You can distinguish a period at Jan van Haasteren from 'Before Jumbo' and 'After Jumbo' – especially when you are talking about Jan van Haasteren's first puzzle. From 1995, Jan van Haasteren started drawing puzzles for Jumbo - but also for other parties. Only in 2001 (Jan is then 65 years old) Jan only draws drawings for Jumbo puzzles. In 2003, Jan van Haasteren concludes a contract for life with Jumbo. 'Before Jumbo' was the first puzzle so the puzzle was 'Popeye Floor Puzzle' and 'After Jumbo' the first puzzle Jan drew was the puzzle 'Olympics', from 1983. Shown in table:
| Period | Name first Puzzle |
|---|---|
| For JUMBO period | Popeye Floor Puzzle 16 Pieces (1975) |
| Rick the Frog 'The Diving Mole' 20 Pieces (1967) | |
| Rick the Frog 'The Three Musketeers' 20 Pieces (1967) | |
| After JUMBO period | Olympics |
The very first puzzle – 'For Jumbo' – what does it look like?
This is really the very first puzzle and this is the 'Popeye Floor Puzzle'. This is a rare puzzle.
| Figure 1 |  |
| Figure 2 |  |
| Figure 3 |  |
| Figure 4 |  |
| Name Puzzle | Floor puzzle Popeye |
| Price | € 60 - € 100 |
| Number of Pieces | 16 Pieces |
| Number | No number |
| Year of Issue | 1975 |
| Issue by | KING |
| draftsman | Jan van Haasteren |
| Description | The two rarest puzzles by Jan van Haasteren are probably the Floor Puzzle Olijfje and the Floor Puzzle Popeye. Both only 16 pieces. The Floor Puzzle Olijfje is even rarer than the Floor Puzzle Popeye. A few 'die-hard' Jan van Haasteren collectors have been looking for one of these two or both for many years. These two Floor Puzzles are also a set; just like Popeye and Olijfje were a set. Apart from that, the two puzzles also look alike. The dimensions of the floor puzzle are 60 centimeters high and 47 centimeters wide and therefore consists of 16 large puzzle pieces. What is the story behind this? Jan van Haasteren was asked to draw Popeye, but was too busy with other work. Unfortunately, he cancelled that. Apart from these two floor puzzles, there is another set of 6 puzzles with Popeye on it - another collector's item. These are 6 Popeye puzzles of 63 pieces each. However, these two floor puzzles (Popeye and Olijfje) were not released by JUMBO, but by KING! Jan van Haasteren had made the drawings for a poster, but KING had released two floor puzzles of this without being asked. The Popeye floor puzzle is more common on Marktplaats than the Olijfje floor puzzle. |
| Review |
And this one – 'For Jumbo' – Rick the Frog 'The Diving Mole' from 1967
Well, this was a puzzle that was unknown for a long time and was only discovered in 2013 - quite by accident. Two Jan van Haasteren fans who visited Jan van Haasteren in 2013 and then heard from Jan himself that he had drawn a puzzle of 20 pieces called Rick the Frog, from 1967 at the time. So: officially this would be the first puzzle, because Jan van had already drawn it in 1967 and the Popeye floor puzzle was from 1975. But yes, this only became known in 2013, so all that time we went there together assumed that the Popeye Floor Puzzle was the very first puzzle (together with Olivia Floor Puzzle). And to date we do (we = also on www.janvan rusheren.nl you can read that the Popeye floor puzzle of 16 pieces was the first puzzle). So: let's leave this as it is, but good to know that a puzzle was secretly drawn by Jan 🙂
| Figure 1 |  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Figure 2 |  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Figure 3 |  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Figure 4 |  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Figure 5 |  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Figure 6 |  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Figure 7 |  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Figure 8 |  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Figure 9 |  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Figure 10 |  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Figure 11 |  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Name Puzzle | Rick the Frog 'The Diving Mole' | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Price | € 230 - € 270 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Number of Pieces | 20 Pieces | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Number | No number | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Year of Issue | 1967 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Issue by | Pin Quin | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| draftsman | Jan van Haasteren | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Description | This is a 20-piece wooden puzzle by Pin Kwin, made in 1967. The fact that it was a Jan van Haasteren puzzle (drawn by Jan van Haasteren himself) wasn't known until 2013. This only became known when two big Jan van Haasteren fans (Anja and Rita) visited the artist himself in 2013 (Source: www.jvh-puzzels.nl). However, in February 2026, it was revealed that in this same Pin Kwin series (the series consists of three puzzles), another puzzle by Jan van Haasteren was drawn, and that is the puzzle titled "The Three Musketeers" (Number 3). This is also a 20-piece wooden puzzle from the Pin Kwin brand, made in 1967. The other puzzle in this series, "The Ice Cream Seller" (Number 2), was not drawn by Jan van Haasteren, but by another artist from the Dollywood studio.Joop Geesink – The man behind Rick the FrogJoop Geesink (1913–1984) was a Dutch pioneer in puppet film and animation. He began his career as a designer and set builder but later founded his own studio: Dollywood Studios. From there, he produced numerous commercials and puppet films that received international recognition for their creative style and technical quality. Geesink was known for his unique stop-motion technique and his sense of humor and personality. His work formed an important part of Dutch television culture in the 60s and 70s. He later became known as the creator of Loeki the Lion, the popular lion from television commercials.Rick the Frog – The TV SeriesIn 1967, Joop Geesink introduced the puppet series "Rick the Frog" on Dutch television. The series consisted of short episodes in which the cheerful frog Rick had all sorts of adventures in a colorful fantasy world. The production used stop-motion puppets, with an eye for detail and a charming presence that was characteristic of Geesink's style. The series was broadcast by the TROS and quickly gained recognition for its cheerful songs, humor, and recognizable puppet animation. In addition to the television broadcasts, comic strip versions of "Rick the Frog" were also published, illustrated by artists including Jan van Haasteren.From television to puzzleAround the same time, various forms of Rick the Frog merchandise appeared, such as keychains, mugs, and puzzles. The 20-piece wooden puzzle made by the brand Pin Kwin in 1967 is a wonderful example. The bottom left corner of the puzzle is marked "Copyright Joop Geesink," confirming its official connection to the series. It's an extremely rare puzzle and a beautiful wooden example. If you're lucky, you might see it pop up on Marktplaats or other secondhand platforms.Jan van Haasteren & Geesink Studio & Rick the FrogAround 1966, Jan van Haasteren started working at Geesink Studio. He drew Rick the Frog for this studio, along with Frits Kloezeman and Ton Beek. Rick the Frog appeared in 1967 in the commercial comic magazine "Heintje," published by Albert Heijn. Jan van Haasteren drew the frogs and other characters, and Frits Kloezeman designed the backgrounds.Dimensions of this puzzleThe dimensions of this small puzzle are approximately 15cm x 20cm and it is a wooden puzzleUnofficial - the first puzzle drawn by Jan van Haasteren!This is unofficially considered to be Jan van Haasteren's first puzzle!Jan van Haasteren and Rick the Frog puzzles - the seriesThis Rick the Frog puzzle, titled "The Diving Mole," is part of a series of three puzzles. The three Rick the Frog puzzles in this series are:
Jan van Haasteren & Rick the Frog - All seriesSeveral series of puzzles have been published by the 'Pin Kwin' brand, but as of March 2026, it is unknown which puzzles were designed by Jan van Haasteren. The complete overview can be seen in the following table:
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Review |
And this one – 'For Jumbo' – Rick the Frog 'The Three Musketeers' from 1967?
In February 2026, a Jan van Haasteren fan revealed that this Rick the Frog puzzle, "The Three Musketeers," was also designed by Jan van Haasteren. This fan inquired with Saskia van Haasteren, who confirmed this.
| Figure 1 | | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Figure 2 |  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Figure 3 |  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Figure 4 |  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Figure 5 |  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Figure 6 |  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Figure 7 | | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Figure 8 | | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Name Puzzle | Rick the Frog 'The Three Musketeers' | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Price | € 250 - € 270 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Number of Pieces | 20 Pieces | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Number | No number | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Year of Issue | 1967 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Issue by | Pin Quin | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| draftsman | Jan van Haasteren | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Description | In 2013, two Jan van Haasteren fans visited him, and it was revealed that the 20-piece wooden puzzle "The Diving Mole" (Number 1) was officially drawn by Jan van Haasteren! However, in February 2026, it was revealed that another puzzle in this same Pin Kwin series (the series consists of three puzzles) was drawn by Jan van Haasteren, and that it was, this one, titled "The Three Musketeers" (Number 3). This is also a 20-piece wooden puzzle by Pin Kwin, made in 1967. The other puzzle in this series, "The Ice Cream Seller" (Number 2), was not drawn by Jan van Haasteren, but by another artist from the Dollywood studio.Joop Geesink – The man behind Rick the FrogJoop Geesink (1913–1984) was a Dutch pioneer in puppet film and animation. He began his career as a designer and set builder but later founded his own studio: Dollywood Studios. From there, he produced numerous commercials and puppet films that received international recognition for their creative style and technical quality. Geesink was known for his unique stop-motion technique and his sense of humor and personality. His work formed an important part of Dutch television culture in the 60s and 70s. He later became known as the creator of Loeki the Lion, the popular lion from television commercials.Rick the Frog – The TV SeriesIn 1967, Joop Geesink introduced the puppet series "Rick the Frog" on Dutch television. The series consisted of short episodes in which the cheerful frog Rick had all sorts of adventures in a colorful fantasy world. The production used stop-motion puppets, with an eye for detail and a charming presence that was characteristic of Geesink's style. The series was broadcast by the TROS and quickly gained recognition for its cheerful songs, humor, and recognizable puppet animation. In addition to the television broadcasts, comic strip versions of "Rick the Frog" were also published, illustrated by artists including Jan van Haasteren.From television to puzzleAround the same time, various forms of Rick the Frog merchandise appeared, such as keychains, mugs, and puzzles. The 20-piece wooden puzzle made by the brand Pin Kwin in 1967 is a wonderful example. The bottom left corner of the puzzle is marked "Copyright Joop Geesink," confirming its official connection to the series. It's an extremely rare puzzle and a beautiful wooden example. If you're lucky, you might see it pop up on Marktplaats or other secondhand platforms.Jan van Haasteren & Geesink Studio & Rick the FrogAround 1966, Jan van Haasteren started working at Geesink Studio. He drew Rick the Frog for this studio, along with Frits Kloezeman and Ton Beek. Rick the Frog appeared in 1967 in the commercial comic magazine "Heintje," published by Albert Heijn. Jan van Haasteren drew the frogs and other characters, and Frits Kloezeman designed the backgrounds.Dimensions of this puzzleThe dimensions of this small puzzle are approximately 15cm x 20cm and it is a wooden puzzleUnofficial - the first puzzle drawn by Jan van Haasteren? "The Diving Mole"Rick the Frog's 'Diving Mole' is unofficially considered Jan van Haasteren's first puzzle! But now (as of February 1, 2026) this puzzle of "The Three Musketeers" will be automatically added!Jan van Haasteren and Rick the Frog puzzles - the seriesThis Rick the Frog puzzle, titled "The Three Musketeers," is part of a series of three puzzles. The three Rick the Frog puzzles in this series are:
Jan van Haasteren & Rick the Frog - All seriesSeveral series of puzzles have been published by the 'Pin Kwin' brand, but as of March 2026, it is unknown which puzzles were designed by Jan van Haasteren. The complete overview can be seen in the following table:
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Review | Not yet |
The very first puzzle – 'After Jumbo' – what does it look like?
This was Jan van Haasteren's first puzzle commissioned by JUMBO! This is the puzzle 'Olympic Games'. This is a puzzle from 1983. The fun part is: this puzzle does not have 1000 pieces, but consists of 1008 pieces. If you want to read all about this puzzle, see the page 'Jan van Haasteren Olympic Games'. It's this puzzle:
and this is the box:
And an explanation in a video of this first puzzle: