These handmade chess pieces are based on the folk designs used in Russian lacquer box art. The shapes are flowing and ornate. When painted, the colors glow in brilliant hues and offer fantasical representations of folk characters, creatures, and stories.

The other unique aspect of this set is that the designs are translated from the Russian words for each piece, which reflect the original Indian game pieces that chess is based on. Two of them are significantly different . The European castle or rook was originally a boat, which makes much more sense of the piece's long flowing movement across the board. Likewise, instead of a bishop, there is an elephant, which can traverse diagonally, overcoming obstacles.