New York Life

  Brand: eeBoo

Serial Number: none found

Country Puzzle Made: Designed in New York City and manufactured in China, Guangdong.

Puzzle Title: New York City Life. "People flock from everywhere to work and play together there; inspired by its energy, and a force that they can't see: in business, finance, music, art. They feel the nation's beating heart", direct quote on the back of the puzzle box.

The number of Puzzle Pieces: 1000p

Puzzle Completed Size: 23x23 in (58.4x58.4 cm)

Take a good look at the skyscrapers and see if you can spot the eeBoo name cleverly inserted into the puzzle picture.

Artist/Photographer: 

Uta Krogmann is from southern Germany. The insert states that as a child she would spend many hours outdoors gathering corn for the doves. Uta loves to travel and in particular to Asia where the art and various textiles help to inspire her artworks. 

The Tactile Feel of the Puzzle: 

The pieces are smooth and sit well in the hand. I like the thickness and old-school feel of the puzzle pieces.

Quality of the Puzzle Pieces: 

eeBoo is my absolute favourite arty puzzle brand. Their well-cut pieces are sturdy. They use cardboard thickness for their puzzles, which allows for bending and twisting of the pieces without them breaking too easily. The colours used are vibrant and quite magnificent. The pieces fit well together. This brand has minimal puzzle dust and they are made with recycled materials and vegetable-based inks.

This is a close-up of the spotted dog and his Sunday Times. The doves were another striking detail of the puzzle. Look closely and you will find many other little details to delight you. 

Quality of the Overall Image Used for the Puzzle: 

It was very clear and had no blurring of the print. The image on the box was exactly the same as the complete puzzle. The ink quality was exceptional. eeBoo puzzles come with a printed insert with the whole picture for easy reference. eeBoo also states that they use 90% of recycled material. For added ease of reference, there was a full picture insert of the puzzle.

How Long Did it Take Me:  Less than12 hours (I enjoy turning it into a time challenge for myself).

Difficulty: Easy and relaxing

Once again this eeBoo puzzle helped me to really relax and its quirky little details, for example, the little squirrel up on the tree and the names of the various retailers kept me chuckling and added to the enjoyment. It was quick and easy to complete. It really flowed very well. Firstly, I started off by separating all the straight edges and building the edges of the puzzle. Again, this is just my preference, giving me a general guide, and showing the actual puzzle size on my table.

Is it a keeper?

Without a doubt, if you like old-school puzzles with a modern edge. Like many of the eeBoo puzzles, you discover little unexpected quaint details you only notice when you start putting the pieces together. I have been fortunate enough to have visited New York City with all my children and loved seeing all the sights we only get to see in American movies. The new and old big grand old buildings that sit side by side are quite amazing. The energy and the vibrancy were very enticing and it does not take you long to get into that New York vibe. 

I really loved the details of this flower vendor. The little dog was just too cute and the details of the newspaper it is carrying are fantastic.

Where Can I Buy this Puzzle in South Africa?

 I have only seen it for sale here in South Africa on Take-a-lot. However, if you google eeBoo South Africa the following site come up; 

https://www.timelesstoys.co.za/   -  011 792 8017

https://www.playingandlearning.co.za/collections/eeboo

https://www.wantitall.co.za/brands/eeboo/puzzles/toys/p1

https://www.timelesstoys.co.za/collections/eeboo-products-south-africa

https://www.loot.co.za/search?cat=kag&terms=&brandcode%2Feeboo=

Another detail I loved was the stickers on the guitar case and the total 'coolness' of the musician. 

Brands Website: https://eeboo.com/collections/puzzles

"1000 and 500 Piece Jigsaw puzzles made from recycled materials, FSC®-certified paper, and vegetable-based inks. Founded in 2017 by specialty toy pioneer Mia Galison, eeBoo Piece & Love uses sustainable materials to create extraordinary high-quality puzzles featuring thoughtful original artwork." Direct quote eeBo0 (2022).

Note: eeBoo is a woman-owned, mother-run using recycled paper and vegetable ink. Take a look at their website for other toys and educational items.

Sources consulted: 

eeBoo. Available:https://eeboo.com/collections/puzzles/products/venice-open-market-1000-pc-sq-puzzle Accessed on 2022/07/17

                                                                  List of Illustrations:

Figures 1-22: Williams, K.J. 2022. Kim Williams Photography

Yours in Puzzling

Kim