Tagua Nut Chess Sets - Plant Ivory
Tagua trees grow in the upper Amazonas, where the nuts are harvested when soft, and easily carved. When they dry , they harden to fine brittle consistency similar to ivory, and have therefore been used for similar decorative turning and carving purposes. A lot of the nuts go to China - the sets here seem to be made in Ecuador though, where they constitute part of the souvenir offer. They are all made in sections - which provide an idea of the size of the nuts - and then joined on a central axle- Production therefore must be on a workshop basis, with separated tasks, down to the final colouring.
Simple Tagua pieces
Simple tagua set from the 50ies or earlier. The kings stand 117 mm, each king or queen is composed fo 4 nuts, plus the inserted crown or ball on the top. Knights bishops and rooks rate 2 nuts. So do the pawns , but smaller nuts - by the way , the pawns come in two sizes - speaking of some confusion in the workshop. Felted bases, with a sticker "Hecho en Ecuador".
Standard Ecuador Tagua Set
Standard Tagua set, in natural and black, turned and carved from various sections, line up on a central axle, without glue or nails! This set I received partially broken - the black queen has lost terribly face! - I believe these sets are from the 60ies to 70ies - king size 131 mm, residual felting, the cross on the kings, and the balltop on the queens - are coloured wood sections.
Black and white
This set is so different from the usual cut I suspect it might have been made in China. It is certainly older, much better made, and provides a fascinating visual impression thanks to the intricate changes between white - the natural colour - and black. Kings stand 75 mm.
