The story behind

The inspiration for this updated version of the Dalian game was to closely resemble the traditional Xiang Qi or Chinese chess game, with its pieces identified by Chinese characters. A lot of work went into creating the typeface for this game, constructing the maple pieces overlaid with screen-printed Swift calfskin makes this piece truly unique.

The pieces take up their position on the board, where the palaces, river and different intersections are formed by the convergence of two types of wood. Thin maple rods are combined with mahogany squares to evoke two armies coming face to face, separated by a river which limits the movement of certain pieces. Once the game is over, the pieces can be stored in the drawers which feature saddle-stitched handles made from cuivre Swift calfskin.