Why did I sell it?

At one time I had some spectacular genuine Honduras rosewood that a friend had imported. I also had a small amount of highly figured blistered maple.

I had been making a lot of chess tables and decided that I should make one for myself. I figured this was the perfect use for the rosewood and maple. I don’t often get a chance to make something for myself so I was really enjoying this project. I had spent weeks designing it. I wanted it to be unique but not so over the top that it would be distracting for anyone actually playing chess on it.

I had just finished the table when a client saw it and wanted to buy it. I said, 'it’s not for sale. Period.' He started making offers but this was my table and I refused to sell it to him. I took it home and actually got to play a game on it before the client called and started upping his offer. Finally, he reached a number that was impossible to turn down. So I sold him the table.

I have missed that table ever since. I made another but it was nowhere near as nice as the first one and the special woods were gone. I often wish I had been a bit better heeled at the time so I could have resisted his ridiculously high offer. It’s the one time I actually regretted making a sale.