UNIQUE GIFT IDEA ONE OF A KIND HANDCRAFTED CUBA VS. CUBAN AMERICANS CHESS SET

Description

Hello, This particular chess set has been sold, I will make one "almost" exact in style and aesthetics...
My chess sets are all handcrafted, therefore no two sets will ever be the same, however you would be hard pressed to find any major differences.
THIS CHESS SET PINS CUBA VS. CUBAN AMERICANS..... THE CHESS SET IS A NICE CONVERSATION AND NOSTALGIA PIECE, AND AN IMMEDIATE EYE CATCHER AT ANY HOME.
THE CHESS BOARD IS 12" x 12" and COMPOSED OF A MONTAGE OF PICTURES THAT REPRESENT CULTURAL IMAGES REFLECTIVE OF CUBA. THERE ARE CUBAN CIGARS,PICTURES OF EARLY CUBA, RUM BOTTLE,CUBAN CURRENCY...AND IN THE MIDDLE A LARGER PICTURE OF POET AND FIGHTER FOR INDEPENDENCE -JOSE MARTI.
THE INSPIRATION FOR THIS PIECE WAS GIVEN TO ME FROM A NEWS STORY ACCOUNT I READ IN THE PAPER ABOUT AN INCIDENT KNOWN AS "13 DE MARZO". AS I DID MORE RESEARCH INTO THIS INCREDULOUS AND HORRIFIC STORY I FELT COMPELLED TO MAKE SOME SORT OF A DEDICATION TO THE INCIDENT AND MOSTLY THE CHILDREN THAT DIED - 11 CHILDREN IN TOTAL, WHOSE NAMES APPEAR ON THE "RAFTS" / PAWNS "
13 DE MARZO" WAS THE NAME OF THE BOAT THAT FREEDOM SEEKING CUBANS WERE ON... IT IS NOT THE DATE OF THE TRAGEDY - (7 / 13 / 94 ).... AS THE BOAT WAS OUT AT SEA, CUBAN MILITARY GUN BOATS SPOTTED IT AND SURROUNDED IT THEN BEGAN TO RAM THE BOAT FILLED WITH WOMEN, CHILDREN AND MEN THAT WERE SEEKING TO ESCAPE THE ISLAND OF CUBA... THE MILITARY (WITH HIGH PRESSURE WATER HOSES) CRUELY AND UNCONSCIONABLY HOSED THE WOMEN TO SEPERATE THEM FROM CHILDREN THEY HELD ON TO IN DESPERATION... DESPITE PLEAS FOR MERCY, MOST WERE KNOCKED INTO THE WATER TO DROWN... IN ALL 41 PEOPLE DIED, 11 OF WHICH WERE CHILDREN... IT IS ONE OF THE MOST HEART WRENCHING INCIDENTS YOU'LL HEAR ABOUT FROM SURVIVORS ACCOUNTS - (MANY OF WHICH ARE POSTED ON THE WEB) THIS IS MY TRIBUTE.
ABSOLUTELY NO MOLDS USED HERE--THERE IS NO ART IN MASS PRODUCTION...YOU ARE PURCHASING A ONE OF A KIND HAND CRAFTED CHESS SET... THE PIECES ARE EACH INDIVIDUALLY HAND SCULPTED FROM PORCELAIN WHITE CERAMIC CLAY, THEN A "SEALER" IS APPLIED TP PROVIDE A HARDENING COAT FINISH TO GIVE THE PIECE STRENGTH. EACH PIECE IS THEN HAND PAINTED IN DETAIL , TO WHICH THE FINAL STAGE IS THE APPLICATION OF A HIGH GLOSS FINISH FOR AN EXTRA FINE "SHINE".
THE PAWNS FOR CUBAN AMERICANS ARE ESPRESSO / CAFE ...THE ROOKS ARE BULLETS ONE W/" "FIDEL" AND THE OTHER W/ "CASTRO" INSCRIPTIONS....THE KNIGHTS ARE: 1.) AN OLDER CIGAR SMOKING CHUBBY GENTLEMAN WEARING A GUAYABERA W/ CIGARS IN POCKET...2.) A YOUNG MAN WITH GOLD CHAINS,TATTOOS AND GOLD TEETH, DRINKING A BEER..THE BISHOPS ARE 1.) GREEN STREET SIGN THAT READS "CALLE OCHO"/THE OTHER SIDE READS "8TH ST"...2.) THE CUBAN FLAG AND OPPOSITE SIDE HAS A DOMINO...THE QUEEN IS AN OLDER GRANDMA WITH HER BIBLE AND ROSARY...THE KING IS A MIDDLE-AGED MAN ON HIS CELL PHONE, HOLDING HIS THICK CASH FILLED WALLET WITH ROLEX AND GOLD CHAINS...
THE CUBAN SIDE IS REPRESENTED BY PAWNS WHICH ARE INNER TUBES. THE INNER TUBES ARE A TRIBUTE TO THE MANY PEOPLE WHO LOST THEIR LIVES IN SEARCH OF FREEDOM, MOST NOTABLY THE NAMES OF 11 CHILDREN THAT LOST THEIR LIVES IN A MASSACRE KNOWN AS "13 DE MARZO" IN WHICH CUBAN GUNBOATS RAMMED AND SUNK A BOAT WITH CUBANS SEARCHING FOR FREEDOM...WHERIN 41 PEOPLE LOST THEIR LIVES, 11 OF WHICH WERE CHILDREN...THE ROOKS ARE STACKS OF CIGARS...THE KNIGHTS ARE TWO BONGO PLAYERS...THE BISHOPS ARE 2 "OBREROS" / WORKERS FROM THE SUGAR CANE FIELDS..ONE IS CUTTING THE CANE W/ HIS MACHETE... THE OTHER CARRYING THE CANE ON HIS BACK... THE QUEEN IS A VIBRANT CUBAN WOMAN (CARMEN MIRANDA STYLE) WITH A WOODEN TRAY OF FRUITS GRACEFULLY BALANCED ON HER HEAD, WHILE SHAKING MARACAS IN EACH HAND...THE KING IS NATURALLY CASTRO, LIGHTING A CIGAR...
All inquiries are welcome and appreciated... I do ask for 3-4 weeks time to sculpt, paint and apply a self hardening varnish and several coats of high gloss finish to the painted pieces and creation of the chess board. Take pride in knowing that you are supporting an independent metal artisan...Thanks and ENJOY!!! "Dez"