Handmade folding backgammon set in walnut and maple, carved lid

My father has played backgammon for as long as I can remember, and the set he uses now is a folding cardboard thing that has been taped at the hinge twice. He turns seventy in the spring. I would like to give him a board he can pass on, and I am looking for a craftsman who builds these properly rather than quickly.

What I picture is a folding case of about fifty by fifty centimetres when open, closing to roughly fifty by twenty-five so it stands on a shelf like a book. Walnut and maple, because that pair gives the contrast without paint. The points should be laid in veneer with a clean, sharp colour boundary, no bleeding and no filler smeared along the edge. When the case is open the two halves must meet as one flat playing surface with no step at the joint, because a checker sliding across the middle should never catch. I would like a raised lip around the field and a soft covering under the play, felt or cloth, so the checkers land quietly instead of rattling. Thirty turned checkers from the two woods, with a pleasant thickness in the hand rather than thin discs. Two sets of dice, and a cup lined with leather that is stitched, not glued. Brass hinges and a brass clasp. Inside the lid, a date engraved small and quietly.

A few things I would rather agree on before you start. Solid wood moves with dry winter air and with the swing between a heated flat and an open window, so please build the case in a way that allows that movement instead of fighting it. I will tell him not to keep it against a radiator or in direct sun, because both will ruin the piece faster than any amount of play. The hinges and the clasp have to carry the weight of the open board so that it cannot fold shut on his fingers mid-game. No ivory, and no species from restricted lists: walnut, maple, beech, pear, whatever you like to work, as long as it is wood I can carry across a border without an argument. The carving or inlay on the outside of the lid should be your own drawing or a traditional pattern, not a copy of somebody else's piece.

What I need from you:

— folding case, about 50 by 50 cm open, walnut and maple, joinery that allows for wood movement;
— carving or inlay on the outer face of the lid, your own design or a traditional motif;
— points in veneer, sharp colour boundary, field flat across the joint with no step;
— raised lip and a soft cloth or felt bed so the checkers do not rattle;
— thirty turned checkers from the two woods, substantial in the hand;
— two sets of dice and one cup with a stitched leather lining;
— brass hinges and clasp, rated for the weight of the open board;
— a short date engraved inside the lid;
— finish that is durable and safe to handle, fully cured before shipping;
— sketch or render for approval before you cut anything.

Budget is around six hundred dollars and I can stretch a little for the right maker. Timeline: I need it in hand about two weeks from our agreement, and the birthday is fixed, so please tell me honestly if that is tight. Send me photographs of boards you have made yourself, especially a close shot of an open field at the joint.