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Ecuador  (Americas)

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Ecuador. These Tagua nut sets are from Ecuador, although I have a somewhat older one listed at Colombia page. The inner part of the Tagua nut, found in South America, is called vegetable ivory for its resemblance to animal ivory. Until today it is used for all kinds of objects such as chess sets and also for jewellery.

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  • Ecuador
  • 1960's-1980's
  • Tagua nut (vegatable ivory) K 7.8; p 4.5
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  • Ecuador
  • 1990
  • Tagua nut (vegatable ivory) K 10.4; p 4.2
  • Box/board 34.1×16.9×9.0 (closed)

Ecuador. This Tagua nut set from Ecuador does have a bird motif. It is a larger and better carved as usual. Vulture as King, eagle as Queen, bird of prey as Bishop, a brooding bird as Knight and owl as Rook. Penguins act as pawns. In the auction catalogue this set was listed as from Peru, and that is possible but I'm almost sure it is from Ecuador.

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  • Ecuador or Peru?
  • 2nd half 20th century
  • Tagua nut (vegatable ivory) K 9.9; p 4.9-5.6

Ecuador. The design of these 2 identical ceramic sets in Gothic-style could origin in France 1st half of 19th century. I'm thinking on Limoges porcelain. Today you find these mainly in America in ceramic. But it is copied by many. Different artists claim this game as theirs. So did Han Theuns (Dutch trader) claim that Jackie Bouw did design it specially in honor of Gari Kasparov!

The makers of these sets call it ceramic, but it looks more like Potter's stuff. The pieces are hollow inside. First time I saw the pieces they were part of a mobile. To the mobiles they have a hole on the top, so that they can hang on strings. At these sets only at one brown pawn! I have 2, because I thought the size difference was a mistake and did order another intending to equal size of white and brown pieces. But the new one was exactly the same! Actually that was to be expected, because the mobiles did have white and brown figures in different sizes.

On the USA (Americas) page you find more info about sets of this shape.

  • Ecuador, Quito, by Betancourt
  • 1996
  • Ceramic Kw 9.7; pw 6.7; Kz 8.9; pz 6.2
  • Ecuador, Quito, by Betancourt
  • 1996
  • Ceramic Kw 9.7; pw 6.7; Kz 8.9; pz 6.2

Ecuador. The small ceramic game with Spanish conquerors against native Indians was a gift. It was said from Ecuador, but I do sometimes think it is from Peru. Who can tell for sure?

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  • Ecuador, "Incas against Spaniards"
  • 2010
  • Ceramic K 4.8; p 3.5
  • Board/box 20.0×10.0×4.9