original handmade gifts

A duel of wisdom and cunning develops around the refined pieces of The Sierra Family's newest creation. The team works with traditional Mexican techniques to transform marble and onyx stones into a distinguished chess set, whose classic palette of black and white hues invites you to enter a challenge of strategy.

The imaginative mind of Armando Ramirez transforms scrap metal into a sleek, black and silver chess set. Ramirez collects the leftover metal pieces off a die machine and shapes them into the pawns, horses, and parts of the kings, which also feature cogs from a car's electrical system. The queens are made from screws, auto part cogs and bearings. The bishops are shaped from spark plugs and the towers from cogwheels. The board is made from a metal sheet and features ornate iron wires and bendix caps taken from a car.

Please note it is the artist's intention not to give his sculptures a fine polished finish, therefore smudges and scratches may be present. The finish can vary from matte to shiny, as each chess set is a unique piece of handcrafted art.

Carved from local cempaka wood, each detail of this chess set by Ketut Sandi complements the intricacy of the game. The pieces represent figures and deities of the sea, alluring in their finned tails and enduring expressions. Stylized fish legs support the table, its checkerboard surrounded by meticulous flourishes, sure to enhance the drama of your next intensely contested match. The chessboard folds easily for storage and travel.

Like pre-Hispanic warriors, rustic figures do battle atop a pyramid. This wonderful creation is the work of Armando Ramírez. Queens are fashioned of screws and bearings, kings are cogwheels and metal scraps, while sparkplugs and other castoffs find a new life as sculpture. Combining art and function, Ramírez creates each piece from discarded automobile parts.

Black and white define a clear-cut triumph as opponents take to the chessboard. The Sierra family crafts the chess set from natural onyx and marble, polished to perfection.

Because each piece is sculpted individually, there may be slight variations in the color and pattern of the stone.

Outwit your opponent with this lovely dakon board game presented by Balinese artisan Gunadi. Dakon is a traditional two-player mancala game originating in Indonesia. This game is hand made with wadang wood and features a sprightly floral motif achieved through a batik technique.

This attractive tic-tac-toe game is presented by India's Arti Sharma in a minimalist style. Hand carved from mango wood, the game board has nine grooves for the game pieces to sit in. The set comes with five teal and five beige glass marbles, which are stored in a black velvet pouch. The name Terni Lapilli comes from the original Roman name of this classic game.

Mancala is a two-player strategy game that originated in Indonesia, and Balinese artisan Gunadi wanted to pay homage to it. This foldable game is handmade with albesia wood and hand-painted with motifs achieved through a traditional batik technique.