Davici

Russian laser-cut plywood jigsaw manufacturer founded 2017, but which achieved more international prominence from mid-2019 onwards, and popularity during the pandemic. They sold on Etsy, but intrepid Western devotees were soon tempted by deals to order online, direct from the Russian factory – so many jigsaws reaching the West are in Russian language packaging. Davici opened two retail stores in Russia, but the last in Moscow closed in July 2022. Sanctions following the invasion of Ukraine by Russia greatly reduced availability in the UK and the West.

Davici jigsaws are grouped in series, or collections, packed in different coloured boxes. A pouch containing a jigsaw piece is added to each box and collecting these from all titles is the only way to obtain the collection’s free jigsaw. There were at least 8 collections, plus a few fine art titles associated with The Hermitage Museum. The artwork is generally very colourful and contemporary.

Davici designers specialise in intricate pieces building complex story-telling cuts, which reference culture and the image on many levels. However, the cuts seem to be developed independently from the image, without line-cutting, and their complexity can detract from the artwork in the finished jigsaw. Sometimes with beautifully shaped edges and dropouts, they encourage puzzlers to flip the finished jigsaw to appreciate the cut. The signature whimsy is a sleek cat lying down.

The packaging is a luxurious fold-over box with magnetic closure, decorated with a whimsy piece and a custom pattern. Many of the jigsaws have relatively low piece counts, the largest counts are 900-1200pc. Mini-puzzles were often included as bonus gifts for large orders.

For more examples see this gallery on flickr.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/50241745@N05/galleries/72157719532764840/