This object is a game. But also a miniature landscape.
Entirely handcrafted in workshops in Isfahan, Iran, this board combines backgammon and chess in a single creation. Each piece is unique, composed like a world apart, where geometry interacts with the living world.
Closed, the box evokes an undulating shell with soft, unexpected lines. Opened, it becomes a perfectly structured square, revealing two distinct trays, each adorned with different motifs. Two sides, two interpretations, the same object.
The heart of the tray is crafted using Persian khatam-kari marquetry, a traditional art renowned for its exquisite detail and intricate patterns. Thousands of tiny fragments—boxwood and walnut, mother-of-pearl, brass, and sometimes ivory—are cut and then assembled by hand by the khatambars with almost meditative precision. Nothing is left to chance. Everything is balanced and harmonious.
Around it, hand-painted floral and arabesque motifs bring movement and light. The vibrant, pearly colors capture the eye and subtly change depending on the angle and lighting, all covered with a protective varnish.
The set comes with khatam-kari backgammon pucks, two dice, wooden chess pieces, and a colorful fabric case to protect the box.
Beyond its function as a game, this object tells a story: that of an ancestral Persian craft, passed down from generation to generation. Preserving it allows these rare skills to continue to exist, in the hands of those who take the time to look, to touch, and to play differently.
Closed: L 50 x W 25 cm x D 6 cm
Open: 50 x 50 cm x 6 cm
