Scalloped Chess Set with Carry Handles and Stippled Frame

Scalloped Chess Set with Carry Handles and Stippled Frame — Handmade in Armenia

Stippled all over by hand, the frame of this chess set carries no pattern — a pebbled ground inside a moulded lip that scallops on every side, with a carry handle cut through each end. 50 × 50 cm / 19.6″ × 19.6″ open, handmade in Armenia from beech and walnut, with 32 turned pieces, felt inside, bag.

This is the wooden chess set for someone who wants the frame felt rather than read. There is no scroll or leaf on it — the whole border is a pebbled ground of thousands of small punches, matt against the gloss of the moulded edge — and the field is left completely plain: inlaid pale and brown squares with the coordinates on brass discs beside them. The 32 pieces are turned in pale wood and dark.

The two handles line up when the board is shut, so a full-size board lifts in one hand like a case; open it the other way and both halves are lined in dark felt for the pieces. There is no second game inside — chess only — and it closes on bronze hinges and clasps.

Specifications

• Size: 50 × 50 cm / 19.6″ × 19.6″
• Material: beech and walnut wood in a dark brown finish, with inlaid pale and brown squares and brass coordinate discs
• Carving: hand-stippled frame, scalloped moulded edge, cut-out handle at each end; plain inlaid field
• Pieces: 32 turned wooden chess pieces in pale beech and dark walnut
• Folded: 25 × 50 cm / 9.8″ × 19.6″
• Carry handle: cut through each end
• Inside: dark felt lining in both halves
• Hardware: bronze hinges and clasps
• Craftsmanship: handmade in Armenia

What's Included

• Folding chess board with a carry handle at each end, felt-lined inside
• 32 turned wooden chess pieces, 16 pale and 16 dark
• Carrying bag

Why You'll Love It

• Texture, not pattern: a hand-punched ground over the whole frame, with nothing to pull the eye off the squares.
• Full size that still moves: a handle at each end and a fold down the middle — rare on a board this big.
• Its own case: felt in both halves, clasps outside; the pieces never ride loose.

Good to Know Before You Buy

Is the carving real? Yes. The stippling is punched into the wood by hand — you can see the punches vary under a raking light — the scalloped edge and its moulding are shaped, the handles are cut through the frame, the squares are inlaid wood and the coordinates are brass discs. Nothing is printed.

What about shipping and returns? Shipping is free worldwide and tracked. Every set is covered by our 30-day returns policy.

How do I look after it? Keep it out of direct sunlight and away from radiators. Wipe with a dry, soft cloth and store it closed.