Chess

It was on March 1, 1849 that Nathaniel Cook, the editor of the Illustrated London News, registered the design that would provide the ancient and cosmopolitan game of chess with its first standardised set.

How much would you spend on an antique or vintage chess set? Here are three examples from different periods that sold across a wide range of prices.

Once thought to have been produced in the Black Forest region of Germany, chess sets like the one offered at Ewbank’s (30% buyer’s premium) on June 23, used to be called Luther sets.

Referring to the UK’s near-total ban on selling antique ivory objects, would the beautiful Vizagatapam, India, c.1830-50, ivory chess set in the collection of Mr Holger Langer (Collector Interview, ATG No 2550) be classed as museum quality?

Collector of chess sets aims to help others starting out as well as more experienced enthusiasts

During the 19th century visitors seeking out idyllic lakeland views caused a mild tourist boom in the southwest corner of Ireland.

With the advent of modern tournament chess in the Victorian era came the issue of game time.

The World Chess Championship currently taking place in Dubai began on November 26 in familiar style.

A handful of collectors joined the competition when Mehlis (23% buyer’s premium) in Plauen offered a 19th century ivory and ebony chess set.

The studio potter John Maltby (1936-2020) created this chess set shown right for the Millennium celebrations at the New Ashgate Gallery in Farnham.

This impressive Baroque chess set by the Danzig amber artist Michel Redlin has returned to the city of Gdansk in Poland where it was made over 300 years ago.

MADAM – I read ATG for my education: it’s always thought-provoking.

Estimated at £6000-8000, an Anglo-Saxon bronze gaming piece – a metal-detecting find for the consignor – sold for £95,000 (plus premium) at the latest auction at TimeLine in Harwich, Essex.

The white ‘rooks’ to this 19th century carved and turned wood chess set, offered by TW Gaze (18% buyer’s premium) in Diss in August 12, are stamped Calvert 189 Fleet Street to their bases.

Thousands of items are available to buy from dealers online. Here we pick out one that caught our eye this week.

MADAM – I hope your readers can help me track down a few items. I am trying to find some old Wedgwood Flaxman chess pieces from about 1825-70. I have been trying to complete this set for more than 40 years.

As implied by an extensive inscription, this souvenir chess piece was produced by Carlo Joseph and Arthur Alphonse Giuliano, sons of the celebrated Italian artist jeweller Carlo Giuliano, to commemorate a chess match played via telegraph in 1897.

Sotheby’s believes it has found a missing piece from the Lewis chessmen hoard – the cache of 12th or 13th century walrus ivory carvings that chiefly resides in the British Museum.