There are two main reasons why I like Ravensburger puzzles, apart from the image of the puzzle itself. One of them is the matte finish of their pieces. They show a distinctive texture that I prefer over other brands that tend to have glossy surfaces. That matte finish is also common in Clementoni puzzles. The other reason is the excellent quality of the pieces and the way the poster is glued to the cardboard. It is not uncommon to find a 50 year old used copy, like the Wedding Tour, and enjoy a jigsaw puzzle that looks like new.
The preference for matte finish is quite a personal choice. They say that in matters of taste there can be no disputes (de gustibus non est disputandum). However, I think most puzzle fans would agree on the excellent quality of old Ravensburger puzzles. In fact, they even tend to weigh more than most other brands. That means that the cardboard used is more dense or thicker. A puzzle by Ravensburger will normally be heavier than most other brands, with perhaps the exception of Jumbo and some old MB puzzles that were unusually thick.
An incomplete Wedding Tour
That’s why sometimes it is not a big deal to get an incomplete puzzle, like this 750 pieces version of The Wedding Tour, by Moritz von Schwind. It is a great excuse to complete it and recall all the reasons why I started assembling jigsaw puzzles: a beautiful piece of art and a high quality puzzle. Besides, old puzzles by Ravensburger have many flat pieces, which make them more challenging. Those flat pieces are uncommon in modern puzzles by the German brand.
The painting is also known as The Wedding Journey, or The Honeymoon. When I verified the puzzle, I got 757 pieces, which was quite unusual. Then I learned that many old 750 pieces puzzles by Ravensburger and MB brought exactly 759 pieces (33 x 23). Whenever I assemble an incomplete puzzle, I always wish that the puzzle might be magically complete when I finish it. It didn’t happen: the puzzle had 2 missing pieces.
In any case, it was a pleasure to complete. I don’t remember how long it took me, since I never time my puzzles. In the past I used to jot down the day I began and the day I finished, but I don’t do it anymore. I probably started one day and finished the next day, since I probably had some other things to do. What I do remember is that I had a great time, and that’s what putting together a puzzle is all about, I guess.
The puzzle is now part of the Missing Pieces section, in case someone has a compatible copy and needs a replacement.
750, Ravensburger, The Wedding Tour, Moritz von Schwind, 39.5 x 59 cm, Reference number 15.473.
