Legend has it that chess was invented by the Greek Palamedes to keep his soldiers from getting bored during the Trojan war…
Released in 2014, Nendo’s Harcourt chessgame is the very embodiment of a collector’s item at its finest. Produced in a limited edition of fifty, as part of Baccarat’s 250th anniversary celebrations, this outstanding piece is a work of captivating art and craftsmanship. The Harcourt collection’s iconic timelessness is revisited with fun, playful inspiration by the talented Japanese designer.
The pieces are hand-cut from the famous Harcourt glass and are shaped in the form of the king’s crown, the hem of the queen’s robes and the bishop’s mitre. The creation’s truly original beauty, with its clear or midnight crystal pieces comes to life with subtle changes in light enhanced by contrasting cuts. The board illuminates the pieces including the red square, which is the House’s signature.
This exceptional creation, game of tactics and precious object, illustrates perfectly the quote by legendary writer Vladimir Nabokov, “It is not for amusement that he plays chess; he celebrates a cult.”
