Impressive Arabian Backgammon and Checkers Game. Years 80's. Original and Handmade

This beautiful portable board game is a 100% artisanal item, completely hand-made and coveredby marquetry and inlay details that Arab cultures work so wonderfully. This set contains two games: a backgammon board and a checkers board. It was made in the 1980s and probably comes from Syria, though we cannot be sure of it. The board is quite big and in its manufacture different materials have been used, all of them carefully carved in order to get a millimetre-exact adjustment. The article consists on a foldable board containing a set of checkers. The case is made of solid wood, probably cedar, almost completely covered by a delicate inlaid design with an unmistakable Arab style. The case is decorated both inside and outside: inside it depicts a backgammon board while outside it bears a checkers board. The checkers board is composed of regular squares, some of them covered by mother-of-pearl and the other decorated with marquetry designs. The board is surrounded by an inlaid frame composed of Arab-inspired abstract designs. On the other hand, the backgammon board combines regular triangles covered by different kinds of wood with a central marquetry decoration. In order to manufacture this wonderful work, the artist that made the game used different woods including ebony (the famous black wood) and real mother-of-pearl. The set includes the original checkers, made of solid wood of two kinds (light golden and reddish brown) and with lovely central inlay decorations that match the boards motives. The article is in very good condition, with only very slight signs of the trace of time and use easy to restore by a professional. Any lover of board games and of the most beautiful crafts will find an exceptional piece in this wonderful backgammon and checkers set. Measurements (closed): Width: 19.2 in/49 cm. Height: 9.8 in/ 25 cm.