As it happened (from my Journal archives)

September 10, 2006

Sunday 3:40 pm - The image to be used for his month's eBay puzzle will be from the recently acquired 1995 Seewald Calendar, the month of December - assuming the paper cuts OK. The image is about 13 3/4" by 10 3/4". The puzzle will likely have 400-450 pieces and will be cut in Swirl Curl style. I'll have more information about the picture when I launch the auction.

September 12, 2006

Tuesday 10:18 pm - Stopped at the shop briefly today to prepare the board for this month's eBay puzzle. Tomorrow I mount it, design the figurals and do some cutting

September 13, 2006

Wednesday 10:46 pm - Mounted the board for this month's puzzle, decided on the figural set, and cut the puzzle's edges. Tomorrow I expect to cut about half the puzzle. Changed my mind on the cutting style: it will be Long Round instead of Swirl Curl.

September 14, 2006

Thursday 5:33 pm - Spent a considerable portion of today at the shop working on Old City Center, Tallinn, Estonia - 1992, this month's eBay puzzle of the 100 Puzzles Project. I'm happy to say that the paper is cutting extremely well, about as good as I have experienced. I cut about 290 pieces today and have about 150 more to do tomorrow. I've included some color line cutting. I think the Long Round cutting style, along with the clc and the nature of the picture will make for a fairly challenging puzzle! I hope to launch the auction tomorrow, but due to my usual dance related activities, it may get pushed to Saturday.

September 15, 2006

Friday 6:20 pm - Auction launched. I've run out of time, will get the rest of the website updated with auction info late this evening.

September 23, 2006

Saturday 9:32 am - The auction was won by a bidder from Japan, nice to see activity beyond our shores! Thank you all for bidding. I have received many order inquiries during the past couple weeks. I've had to decline quite a few as they are of the "I need 1000 puzzles next month" variety.

From the auction description:

This puzzle, Old City Center, Tallinn, Estonia - 1992, features an excellent photograph by master photographer Michael Seewald, the photographer whom I've featured several times before within the 100 Puzzles Project. This image was removed from one of Michael Seewald's limited edition art calendars (the December page from year 1995), of which 499 were printed. This puzzle is a limited edition of ONE, I will not be purchasing any additional year 1995 calendars nor accepting commissions from others for this image. Calendar purchase information is here.

The puzzle includes three figurals: a G Clef note, a Dove and a Candle; and my signature piece (signed, numbered and dated on the back). I also marked a second piece on the back (the Dove), indicating the puzzle belongs to the 100 Puzzles Project.

This puzzle is cut in my Long Curl cutting style with small pieces. There is some color line cutting in the interior, adding to the difficulty of the puzzle. Overall I think this puzzle should be satisfyingly difficult to put together.

I think the picture is pretty cool: lots of angles and some of straight lines have been color line cut. The puzzle holds together well and can be picked up intact. In the image, old and new buildings are placed together; at the upper left, old and new street lights add to the contrast. The picture in the puzzle has better resolution than shown here.

Michael Seewald wrote:

Near a cathedral in the center of the Old City, newer construction in greater disrepair than the centuries-old structure it abuts affords great contrast in texture and color. The fortress tower in the background starkly brings the textural and temporal differences home to the eye. I found this scene one early morning after taking an overnight train from St. Petersburg. I'd work for an hours or so until my feet would freeze in my tennis shoes and then head for a local coffee shop to thaw out.

Printed by Continental Litho