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Europe - Porcelain
Portuguese Porcelain Chess Set (Viana do Castelo), ca. 1960-1980
A Portuguese porcelain chess set made in Viana do Castelo in the North of Portugal by the local porcelain factory. These chess sets were made sometime between 1960 and 1980. Nowadays, Viana porcelain chess sets were only produced in small numbers and, thus, are rare and not easy to come by. The king size is 10.3 cm, i.e. slightly bigger than 4".
The style of the chessmen is typical for Portuguese ceramics and reminds of "azulejos", the typical Portuguese blue and white ceramic tiles (even though the name does not refer to "azul" (blue), but has its origin in the arabic "az-zulaiǧ", which means "small polished stone" or "tile work"). All pieces are handpainted in the traditional three colors that were also used for the old faience pieces from the 19th century - cobalt blue, ocher and green. Apart from a few spikes missing in the white king's crown the set is in pristine condition. The pieces are interesting as they are designed on the dividing line between abstract and concrete form. A small, but neat detail are the pawns, which are little soldiers bearing shields decorated with a blue flower, one of the three main motives in Viana porcelain (besides religious motives and coats of arms of old-established local families).
The set came in the original wooden box in which the chessmen are stored on separate trays covered in blue velvet. It also came with a 50 cm square blue and white ceramic tile chess board with a solid wooden frame.
The Viana do Castelo factory was founded in the Darque district and began producing pottery in 1747. It was closed in 1855 after a crisis triggered by the Napoleonic wars. It was not until ninety-two years later, in 1947, that the factory was refounded in the Meadela district with the aim of reviving the tradition of artistic ceramics in the style of Viano. Viano ceramics are made of hard porcelain and are characterized by the fact that they are entirely hand-painted and fired at a temperature of 1400º, which gives them a resistance that is unique. In 2010 production was suspended and the factory was soon afterwards completely closed. Today, there is only one shop and gallery next to the old factory grounds, selling off whatever remains from the old production, and a small museum where some of the most beautiful and valuable pieces are exhibited.
Description and photos by Holger Langer
The style of the chessmen is typical for Portuguese ceramics and reminds of "azulejos", the typical Portuguese blue and white ceramic tiles (even though the name does not refer to "azul" (blue), but has its origin in the arabic "az-zulaiǧ", which means "small polished stone" or "tile work"). All pieces are handpainted in the traditional three colors that were also used for the old faience pieces from the 19th century - cobalt blue, ocher and green. Apart from a few spikes missing in the white king's crown the set is in pristine condition. The pieces are interesting as they are designed on the dividing line between abstract and concrete form. A small, but neat detail are the pawns, which are little soldiers bearing shields decorated with a blue flower, one of the three main motives in Viana porcelain (besides religious motives and coats of arms of old-established local families).
The set came in the original wooden box in which the chessmen are stored on separate trays covered in blue velvet. It also came with a 50 cm square blue and white ceramic tile chess board with a solid wooden frame.
The Viana do Castelo factory was founded in the Darque district and began producing pottery in 1747. It was closed in 1855 after a crisis triggered by the Napoleonic wars. It was not until ninety-two years later, in 1947, that the factory was refounded in the Meadela district with the aim of reviving the tradition of artistic ceramics in the style of Viano. Viano ceramics are made of hard porcelain and are characterized by the fact that they are entirely hand-painted and fired at a temperature of 1400º, which gives them a resistance that is unique. In 2010 production was suspended and the factory was soon afterwards completely closed. Today, there is only one shop and gallery next to the old factory grounds, selling off whatever remains from the old production, and a small museum where some of the most beautiful and valuable pieces are exhibited.
Description and photos by Holger Langer
Moors vs.. Christians Chess Set by Vista Alegre, 1960
The famous Vista Alegre Chess set. These sets were produced between 1960 and 1962 at the Vista Alegre Porcelain Works in Portugal. The design was provided by Jeannine Hetreau, an accomplished painter of delicate and highly stylized designs. She was one of the artists who migrated to Portugal from Belgium. She was the artistic director of Vista Alegre between 1957 and 1966.
The theme of the set is “Christians versus Moors”, with the figures in medieval dress. The tallest piece, the Moorish King, is over 4 inches tall. The pieces are all hand-painted. The level of detail is nothing short of astonishing. The eyes of the Knights are painted, not just the pupils, but a white reflection at the edges of the pupils.
It is not known how many sets Vista Alegre produced during its two-year run, but very few remain, perhaps a testimonial to the delicate nature of these chess pieces. Porcelain chess sets are, by their nature, intended to be shown, preferably in a glass showcase. They are collectors pieces for porcelain appreciators, with a chess theme. Not many companies still produce chess sets in true porcelain. Among the classic porcelain manufacturers, the Vista Alegre set stands alone. Its historical theme, its coloring, its superbly crafted painting and its refined design remain nonpareil .
The theme of the set is “Christians versus Moors”, with the figures in medieval dress. The tallest piece, the Moorish King, is over 4 inches tall. The pieces are all hand-painted. The level of detail is nothing short of astonishing. The eyes of the Knights are painted, not just the pupils, but a white reflection at the edges of the pupils.
It is not known how many sets Vista Alegre produced during its two-year run, but very few remain, perhaps a testimonial to the delicate nature of these chess pieces. Porcelain chess sets are, by their nature, intended to be shown, preferably in a glass showcase. They are collectors pieces for porcelain appreciators, with a chess theme. Not many companies still produce chess sets in true porcelain. Among the classic porcelain manufacturers, the Vista Alegre set stands alone. Its historical theme, its coloring, its superbly crafted painting and its refined design remain nonpareil .
Lladró King Richard, 1970
Lladró Porcelain Chessmen (4833) representing King Richard’s Court. These elegant Medieval Chessmen were produced by the well known and respected Spanish Porcelain Company, Lladró. This set of polychrome chessmen features a 7″ King with a 2.4″ diameter base. The underside of each of the chess pieces bears markings from the factory and the sculptor.
These Lladró chessmen were modeled after Richard the Lionheart. Richard I, who stood a towering 6′-5′ tall, was King of England from 1189 until his death on April 6, 1199, in Châlus, France. He also ruled as Duke of Normandy, Aquitaine and Gascony, Lord of Cyprus, Count of Poitiers, Anjou, Maine, and Nantes, and was overlord of Brittany at various times during this time. The Issue year for this series is prior to 1972. The sculptor is Juan Ignacio Aliena. Although created in the twentieth century, these designs are influenced by the style of Europe’s Mannerist period (c. 1520–1600). The paintings of El Greco and other Spanish Mannerist artists featured people with characteristics typical of Lladró figurines.
These Lladró chessmen were modeled after Richard the Lionheart. Richard I, who stood a towering 6′-5′ tall, was King of England from 1189 until his death on April 6, 1199, in Châlus, France. He also ruled as Duke of Normandy, Aquitaine and Gascony, Lord of Cyprus, Count of Poitiers, Anjou, Maine, and Nantes, and was overlord of Brittany at various times during this time. The Issue year for this series is prior to 1972. The sculptor is Juan Ignacio Aliena. Although created in the twentieth century, these designs are influenced by the style of Europe’s Mannerist period (c. 1520–1600). The paintings of El Greco and other Spanish Mannerist artists featured people with characteristics typical of Lladró figurines.
Lladró Medieval Porcelain Chess Set, circa 1990
Lladró Medieval Porcelain Chessmen, Set No. 6333. These elegant Medieval Chessmen were produced by the well-known and respected Spanish Porcelain Company, Lladró. This polychrome Porcelain chess set features a 5-1/4″ King with a 1-1/2″ diameter base. Each of the chessmen rests atop gray suede leather base pads. The underside of each of the chess pieces bears markings from the factory and the sculptor.
The Lladró Porcelain chessmen were modeled to represent typical Medieval characters in the Gothic manner. The Issue year for this series is prior to 2000. The sculptor is Juan Ignacio Aliena. Although the Lladró Medieval Porcelain Chess Set was created in the twenty-first century, these designs are influenced by the style of Europe’s Mannerist period (c. 1520–1600). The paintings of El Greco and other Spanish Mannerist artists featured people with characteristics typical of Lladró figurines. These Lladró Porcelain Chess pieces are housed in their original wooden storage chest with two drawers and a chessboard top.
The Lladró Porcelain chessmen were modeled to represent typical Medieval characters in the Gothic manner. The Issue year for this series is prior to 2000. The sculptor is Juan Ignacio Aliena. Although the Lladró Medieval Porcelain Chess Set was created in the twenty-first century, these designs are influenced by the style of Europe’s Mannerist period (c. 1520–1600). The paintings of El Greco and other Spanish Mannerist artists featured people with characteristics typical of Lladró figurines. These Lladró Porcelain Chess pieces are housed in their original wooden storage chest with two drawers and a chessboard top.
Field of Cloth of Gold by Rudolph Kammer, mid 20th Century
The Rudolph Kammer Field of Cloth of Gold Chess Set is a Twentieth Century limited edition of 1000 Porcelain chess sets. The Kings stand an impressive 7.25″ tall with a 2-1/4” diameter base. The pieces depict the contestants and representatives of Henry VIII of England versus those representing Francis I of France. Each piece is signed on the base and is gilt-heightened and polychromed. This chess set was created to commemorate the Field of Cloth of Gold extravaganza. Like the Third Crusade chessmen, the Field of Cloth of Gold Porcelain Chess Pieces was conceived in France by the artist J. J. Van Gerdinge in the 20th century and produced in Germany. It is made of polychromed hard-paste porcelain. The elaborately dressed royal figures are not only based on historical personages, but they also actually look like them.
This magnificent set was featured in Chess Masterpieces: One Thousand Years of Extraordinary Chess Sets book by George Dean.
Gilt-heightened and polychrome, featuring Henry VIII and Francis I of France, English side with troubadour bishops, falconer knights, rooks as the Tower of London, French side with chancellors as bishops, rooks as the stair tower at Blois by J-J. van Gerdinge, each base signed and numbered, from a limited edition.
The royal figures are not only based on historical personages, they actually look like them. The king on the English side is Henry VIII and his queen is Jane Seymour. On the French size, the king is an impressive Francis I and the queen is his sister, Margaret.
The Field of Cloth of Gold, also known as the Field of Golden Cloth (Le Camp du Drap d Or) is the name given to a place in Balinghem, between Guines and Ardres, in France, near Calais. It was the site of the famous meeting that took place from 7 June to 24 June 1520, between King Henry VIII of England and King Francis I of France; Arranged to increase the bond of friendship between the two monarchs following the Anglo-French treaty of 1514.
This magnificent set was featured in Chess Masterpieces: One Thousand Years of Extraordinary Chess Sets book by George Dean.
Gilt-heightened and polychrome, featuring Henry VIII and Francis I of France, English side with troubadour bishops, falconer knights, rooks as the Tower of London, French side with chancellors as bishops, rooks as the stair tower at Blois by J-J. van Gerdinge, each base signed and numbered, from a limited edition.
The royal figures are not only based on historical personages, they actually look like them. The king on the English side is Henry VIII and his queen is Jane Seymour. On the French size, the king is an impressive Francis I and the queen is his sister, Margaret.
The Field of Cloth of Gold, also known as the Field of Golden Cloth (Le Camp du Drap d Or) is the name given to a place in Balinghem, between Guines and Ardres, in France, near Calais. It was the site of the famous meeting that took place from 7 June to 24 June 1520, between King Henry VIII of England and King Francis I of France; Arranged to increase the bond of friendship between the two monarchs following the Anglo-French treaty of 1514.
The Third Crusade by Alteste Volkstedter, Circa 1970
The Third Crusade chess set. This set was featured in Chess Masterpieces: One Thousand Years of Extraordinary Chess Sets book by George Dean.
This chess set depicts this greatest of all the crusades. Conceived by J. J. Van Gerdinge in France in the twentieth century and fired in a German factory (the Älteste Volkstedter Porzellan-manufaktur), it is made of hard-paste porcelain and polychromed in vibrant colors.
Richard the Lion-Hearted, dressed in blue with a British crown, is the king on the Crusaders' side.
His pawns are English archers drawing their crossbows. The mounted knights are clothed in heavy mail armor and conical helmets. The bishops are playing harps, indicating Richard's love of music, which he acquired from his mother, Eleanor of Aquitaine.
Saladin the Great, in a white robe and gold turban, is the king on the Islamic side. His bishops hold carrier pigeons, which Saladin used to communicate intelligence reports between his troops.
The Turkish cavalry wear light coats of Damascus chain mail.
This chess set depicts this greatest of all the crusades. Conceived by J. J. Van Gerdinge in France in the twentieth century and fired in a German factory (the Älteste Volkstedter Porzellan-manufaktur), it is made of hard-paste porcelain and polychromed in vibrant colors.
Richard the Lion-Hearted, dressed in blue with a British crown, is the king on the Crusaders' side.
His pawns are English archers drawing their crossbows. The mounted knights are clothed in heavy mail armor and conical helmets. The bishops are playing harps, indicating Richard's love of music, which he acquired from his mother, Eleanor of Aquitaine.
Saladin the Great, in a white robe and gold turban, is the king on the Islamic side. His bishops hold carrier pigeons, which Saladin used to communicate intelligence reports between his troops.
The Turkish cavalry wear light coats of Damascus chain mail.
German Porcelain Chess Set by Aelteste Volkstedter Porzellanmanufaktur, ca. 1920
A German porcelain chess set made by Aelteste Volkstedter Porzellanmanufaktur in Rudolstadt/Volkstedt. The design is from the 1920's. One side with a dark orange glaze, the other white, all with gilt highlights. The pieces are inspired by Asian motifs. The kings as rulers wearing a crown and holding a sceptre, the queens with oriental dress sitting on a raised base in lotus position, the bishops as bearded Asian counsellors holding curved scimitars, the knights as rearing horses on a raised base, the rooks as elephants carrying a pagoda with a mahout inside, the pawns in sitting position with chinese hats. King size is 10 cm.
The Aelteste Volkstedter Porzellanmanufaktur can be traced back to Georg Heinrich Macheleid, who experimented for years in the Glücksthal glassworks trying to find the right mixture for porcelain. He succeeded in 1760 and 8 September of the same year established a porcelain manufactory in Sitzendorf. Two years later, in 1762, the manufactory was moved to Volkstedt near the princely court of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. Its ownership changed several times over the years, but the manufactory is still in business, thus being the oldest porcelain manufactory in Thuringia still operated (which is already indicated by its name, as "Aelteste Volkstedter Porzellanmanufaktur" translates to "oldes porcelain manufactory in Volkstedt").
In the early 1920's, in particular in 1923 and 1924, the manufactory produced some designs by Bauhaus ceramists Theodor Bogler and Otto Lindig. It is approximately this period to which the design of the set can be traced back.
Description and photos by Holger Langer
The Aelteste Volkstedter Porzellanmanufaktur can be traced back to Georg Heinrich Macheleid, who experimented for years in the Glücksthal glassworks trying to find the right mixture for porcelain. He succeeded in 1760 and 8 September of the same year established a porcelain manufactory in Sitzendorf. Two years later, in 1762, the manufactory was moved to Volkstedt near the princely court of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. Its ownership changed several times over the years, but the manufactory is still in business, thus being the oldest porcelain manufactory in Thuringia still operated (which is already indicated by its name, as "Aelteste Volkstedter Porzellanmanufaktur" translates to "oldes porcelain manufactory in Volkstedt").
In the early 1920's, in particular in 1923 and 1924, the manufactory produced some designs by Bauhaus ceramists Theodor Bogler and Otto Lindig. It is approximately this period to which the design of the set can be traced back.
Description and photos by Holger Langer
Fürstenberg Biscuit Porcelain Chess Set, Circa 1957
A rare Fürstenberg Biscuit Porcelain chess set “Made in Germany” around 1950. The castings are a highly fired mint Green and White glazed parian. The king is modeled after Duke Karl I of Brunswick the queen as his consort, Phillipine Charlotte. The bishops represent Johann George von Langen, and the knights are horse heads. The rooks are modeled as castles with conical spires. The pawns are young peasants with flails. Each base bears the Fürstenberg stylized upper case “F” stamp in a dark blue glaze. The king stands 3 3/4″tall with a 1 9/16″ base.
The faces have very fine detail. All pieces are as new. The chess pieces are housed in their original leather-covered, compartmented case with a felt-bottomed glass chessboard measuring 15-3/4″ square with matching 2″ green and white squares. The storage case measures 17-1/2″ square and is in perfect condition. The factory at Fürstenberg was founded in 1747 under the Duke of Braunschweig but no porcelain was made until after 1753. The pieces from the Fürstenberg Biscuit Porcelain chess set are cast from the original 18th century mold to commemorate the bicentenary of the Fürstenberg factory in 1947.
Vasily Smyslov was pictured playing with this set at the 1968 Chess Olympiad in Lugano.
The faces have very fine detail. All pieces are as new. The chess pieces are housed in their original leather-covered, compartmented case with a felt-bottomed glass chessboard measuring 15-3/4″ square with matching 2″ green and white squares. The storage case measures 17-1/2″ square and is in perfect condition. The factory at Fürstenberg was founded in 1747 under the Duke of Braunschweig but no porcelain was made until after 1753. The pieces from the Fürstenberg Biscuit Porcelain chess set are cast from the original 18th century mold to commemorate the bicentenary of the Fürstenberg factory in 1947.
Vasily Smyslov was pictured playing with this set at the 1968 Chess Olympiad in Lugano.
Albert Stahl Porcelain Frog Chess Set, 1950-1960
Porcelain chess set from Albert Stahl. One side are gray mice, the other side are green frogs. Each chess piece has Albert Stahl anchor mark on underside of the base. The storage box that safely holds the pieces is included along with a cheese and grass chess board to compliment the mice and frog theme.King stands 2 3/4 inches tall. Traditional handcrafted manufactory porcelain of Albert Stahl, ENS and Ernst Bohne & Soehne brands, hand-sculpted figurines of well-known designers, fine polychrome decoration by hand in over and under glaze painting, made in Rudolstadt, Thuringia, giving each piece a customized look.
German Porcelain Chess Set by Karl Ens, Mid 20th Century
A German porcelain chess set made by Karl Ens in Rudolstadt. The two sides are shown as medieval courts, one side partly coloured in brown, the other partly coloured in blue with golden and silver details. The set came in a fitted box with artificial leather surface and two trays for the pieces fitted with blue satin. King size is 11.5 cm (4.5").
The kings are depicted as medieval rulers, the brown king with a sword, the blue one with a scroll. The queens with long robes and crown. The rooks are represented as towers, the blue rook with a tent roof, the brown rook with a kind of onion roof similar to a Welsh spire. The knights as horse heads on an elongated base. The bishops as courtiers, the brown bishop represented as a bard with a lute, the blue bishop represented as a scribe or messenger with a scroll in his hand. The pawns as simple foot soldiers, the brown pawns with a short tunic and an axe in their left hand, the blue pawns with a long cape and an axe in their right hand.
Many thanks to Holger Langer for the description and some photos.
The kings are depicted as medieval rulers, the brown king with a sword, the blue one with a scroll. The queens with long robes and crown. The rooks are represented as towers, the blue rook with a tent roof, the brown rook with a kind of onion roof similar to a Welsh spire. The knights as horse heads on an elongated base. The bishops as courtiers, the brown bishop represented as a bard with a lute, the blue bishop represented as a scribe or messenger with a scroll in his hand. The pawns as simple foot soldiers, the brown pawns with a short tunic and an axe in their left hand, the blue pawns with a long cape and an axe in their right hand.
Many thanks to Holger Langer for the description and some photos.
German gilt-heightened chess set by Sitzendorf, 20th century,
Kings and queens as Medieval monarchs in courtly robes, bishops as falconers, knights as horses' heads, rooks as turrets, pawns as peasants, blue factory mark to the underside of the bases.
The king 9cm high, the pawn 6.5cm high
The king 9cm high, the pawn 6.5cm high
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