Pale Box Travel Chess Set with Black and Amber Squares

Pale Box Travel Chess Set with Black and Amber Squares — Handmade in Armenia

Built as a shallow pale box rather than a flat board, this travel chess set carries its squares in near-black and amber on top, with the coordinates cut into the rim on all four sides. 40 × 40 cm / 15.7″ × 15.7″ open, handmade in Armenia from natural beech, with 32 turned pieces, felt inside and a bag.

This is the wooden chess set that looks like a box of something valuable, which it is. The two halves are deep enough to hold the pieces standing, so the closed set is a clean pale block with a clasp at each corner; the squares are inlaid in two stains, a deep black-brown and a warm amber, on a field that runs almost to the edge. Coordinates are cut small into the rim, letters along one side, numbers along the other.

Open it flat and the underside is two wells lined in black felt, one for each army; the 32 pieces are turned in pale wood and dark. The board in the photographs carries lettering — a signature on the a1 square and a line naming the 1972 Fischer–Spassky match along the front edge — that belongs to that particular board; ask us before ordering if lettering matters to you.

Specifications

• Size: 40 × 40 cm / 15.7″ × 15.7″
• Material: beech wood, frame left natural, with inlaid squares stained black-brown and amber
• Carving: coordinates cut into the rim on all four sides; plain box sides, no border pattern
• Pieces: 32 turned wooden chess pieces in pale beech and dark walnut
• Folded: 20 × 40 cm / 7.9″ × 15.7″, box-deep
• Inside: black felt lining in both halves
• Hardware: bronze hinges and two clasps
• Craftsmanship: handmade in Armenia

What's Included

• Folding box-style beech chess board, felt-lined inside
• 32 turned wooden chess pieces, 16 pale and 16 dark
• Carrying bag

Why You'll Love It

• A box, not a board: deep halves that hold the pieces upright, so nothing rattles in the bag.
• Two stains, one field: black-brown against amber — a high-contrast board that is easy to read under any lamp.
• Pale on the outside: natural beech that suits a light room and shows every mark of the grain.

Good to Know Before You Buy

Is the carving real? Yes. The frame is beech under a clear varnish, the squares are inlaid wood in two stains, and the coordinates are cut into the rim rather than printed. The hinges and clasps are bronze, and the felt inside is glued, not painted.

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.