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Kim's Chess Collection
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Bone, Ivory, Horn
Inuit Elk horn
Here is another unusual and unique set from Ciaran Rochford collection.
This is Inuit Elk horn Chess Set, king 9cm.
This is Inuit Elk horn Chess Set, king 9cm.
Hand Carved, Hand Painted Indian Bone Chess Set
Beautiful Hand Carved, Hand Painted Indian Bone Chess Set.
Large set. Incredible carving and meticulous hand painting.
King 6.5" (16.5cm)
Large set. Incredible carving and meticulous hand painting.
King 6.5" (16.5cm)
Chinese Figural Chess Set Immortals 1950-1960
Here is a very special chess set of Chinese origin. The pieces were carved from ivory, one side natural, the other side tea stained, the kings, queens and bishops with additional black ink highlights. Particularly impressive are the kings and queens.
The real highlight of the set, however, are the pawns, which are depictions of the Eight Immortals, a group of legendary characters in Chinese mythology.
In Chinese mythology, the Eight Immortals were a group of legendary “xian” (super-human, celestial beings). They include: – He Xian gu (The Immortal Woman); Cao Gou Jiu (The Royal Uncle Cao); Li Tie guai (The Iron-Crutch Li); Lan Cai (The Immortal Hermaphrodite); Lu Dongbin (The Chief Leader); Han Xiang Zi (The Philopsher Han Ziang); Zhang Guo Lao (The Elder Zhang Guo) & Zhongli Quan.
Very detailed, all 32 pieces are different. King 5" (12.8cm).
Sets of this pattern were apparently made from the 1920s to the 1960s. The older sets are usually characterized by better quality of carving, which became coarser in the 1960s when sets of this type were produced in larger numbers.
The real highlight of the set, however, are the pawns, which are depictions of the Eight Immortals, a group of legendary characters in Chinese mythology.
In Chinese mythology, the Eight Immortals were a group of legendary “xian” (super-human, celestial beings). They include: – He Xian gu (The Immortal Woman); Cao Gou Jiu (The Royal Uncle Cao); Li Tie guai (The Iron-Crutch Li); Lan Cai (The Immortal Hermaphrodite); Lu Dongbin (The Chief Leader); Han Xiang Zi (The Philopsher Han Ziang); Zhang Guo Lao (The Elder Zhang Guo) & Zhongli Quan.
Very detailed, all 32 pieces are different. King 5" (12.8cm).
Sets of this pattern were apparently made from the 1920s to the 1960s. The older sets are usually characterized by better quality of carving, which became coarser in the 1960s when sets of this type were produced in larger numbers.
Vintage Puzzle Ball Chess Set
Beautiful, large size, unique design "puzzle ball" Chess set. Great production in Ivory, with superb high quality polished of an intricately carved chess set making this authentic and original. Visible Schreger lines. At least three layers of puzzle balls are visible.
Many of these sets were made in the first half of the 20th century. The kings stand at an impressive 5". All pieces are very skillfully crafted. Especially the Knights are very unique. Instead of the usual horses' heads, these Knights come with a rearing miniature horse on top of an ivory pillar.
Each piece incorporates a puzzleball knob, i.e. a hollow orb with one or more smaller carved balls free to move around inside. It is almost incomprehensible how something like this can even be crafted. The outer orbs itself are richly ornamented and are depicting a Chinese dragon looping the orb with its body. The two dark dots visible on some of the pieces are not stains, but are the eyes of the dragon.
Many of these sets were made in the first half of the 20th century. The kings stand at an impressive 5". All pieces are very skillfully crafted. Especially the Knights are very unique. Instead of the usual horses' heads, these Knights come with a rearing miniature horse on top of an ivory pillar.
Each piece incorporates a puzzleball knob, i.e. a hollow orb with one or more smaller carved balls free to move around inside. It is almost incomprehensible how something like this can even be crafted. The outer orbs itself are richly ornamented and are depicting a Chinese dragon looping the orb with its body. The two dark dots visible on some of the pieces are not stains, but are the eyes of the dragon.
"Selenus" Bone Set, mid 19th Century
"Selenus" Bone Set, mid 19th Century. King is 4" (10cm). One side stained, the other side left natural. Kings with double galleries. Queens with single galleries. Bishops with crown finials. Knights as horses' heads.
The Selenus design was named after Gustavus Selenus, a pseudonym of Augustus the Younger, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg. Gustavus is a creative anagram of Agustus. Selenus comes from Selene, Greek goddess of the moon, an obvious reference to Luneburg. In 1616, Augustus (Gustavus Selenus) published the first German chess book, Das Schach- oder Königsspiel.
In addition to chess instruction, this book contained excellent illustrations of contemporary chess pieces. German chess pieces at the time tended to be slender with stacked floral crowns. The pieces became taller, thinner and more elaborate as time went on. Their floral motif has led to their being known as Garden or Tulip sets. The Selenus pattern sets were manufactured in Central Europe until around 1914. The Selenus design is one of the most elegant of the classical chessmen in use before the standardization of chess pieces ushered in with the advent of the Staunton chessmen. The revolutionary Staunton design was registered by Nathaniel Cooke and launched, in September of 1849 by John Jaques of London.
The Selenus design was named after Gustavus Selenus, a pseudonym of Augustus the Younger, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg. Gustavus is a creative anagram of Agustus. Selenus comes from Selene, Greek goddess of the moon, an obvious reference to Luneburg. In 1616, Augustus (Gustavus Selenus) published the first German chess book, Das Schach- oder Königsspiel.
In addition to chess instruction, this book contained excellent illustrations of contemporary chess pieces. German chess pieces at the time tended to be slender with stacked floral crowns. The pieces became taller, thinner and more elaborate as time went on. Their floral motif has led to their being known as Garden or Tulip sets. The Selenus pattern sets were manufactured in Central Europe until around 1914. The Selenus design is one of the most elegant of the classical chessmen in use before the standardization of chess pieces ushered in with the advent of the Staunton chessmen. The revolutionary Staunton design was registered by Nathaniel Cooke and launched, in September of 1849 by John Jaques of London.
Antique Burmese Chessmen, circa 1820-1840
Very finely turned and carved set of Burmese chessmen, The King stands 3,25” (8cm) tall with a 1″ diameter base. The red stain is still very vibrant. The set was produced in Canton around 1820-1840 and most likely sold in Macao. The Type I Burmese Chessmen are characterized by the lack of a face carved on the headpieces of – the Kings, Queens or Bishops.
Type I Burmese chessmen tend to be the smallest, and the chessmen will have faceless headpieces. The Type II Chessmen will have a face carved on the bishops only and are normally found on Burmese sets with King heights around 4″. The Type III Chessmen will have a face carved on the Royal pieces (Kings, Queens and Bishops) and are normally found on Burmese sets with King heights over 4″. The Type IV Burmese chessmen are often referred to as Macao, with fully carved heads atop all the chessmen except the Rooks. These sets were made for the European Market and probably sold in Macao which was the only place in China where Europeans were allowed to visit prior to the Opium Wars of the 1840s.
Comparable set: https://chessantiques.com/product/antique-burmese-chessmen-type-1b/
Type I Burmese chessmen tend to be the smallest, and the chessmen will have faceless headpieces. The Type II Chessmen will have a face carved on the bishops only and are normally found on Burmese sets with King heights around 4″. The Type III Chessmen will have a face carved on the Royal pieces (Kings, Queens and Bishops) and are normally found on Burmese sets with King heights over 4″. The Type IV Burmese chessmen are often referred to as Macao, with fully carved heads atop all the chessmen except the Rooks. These sets were made for the European Market and probably sold in Macao which was the only place in China where Europeans were allowed to visit prior to the Opium Wars of the 1840s.
Comparable set: https://chessantiques.com/product/antique-burmese-chessmen-type-1b/
Type II English Barleycorn Chessmen, circa 1830
A set of very early Type II English Barleycorn Chessmen, with broad, heavily adorned, bodies on the Royal Pieces with fine acanthus leaf carving and an unusual “double-cross” King’s finial. The chessmen are all mounted atop smooth baluster stems with “cogged” circular bases.
The chessmen are fabricated from natural and red-stained bone. The King stands 4″ tall with a 1-3/8″ diameter base. The Rooks are massive, reticulated towers, extremely intricately carved, with a heavily detailed body. The flags surmounted atop the Rooks are present, but not shown in the images provided. very detailed flag finial. The Bishops, Knights and Pawns are typical baluster mounted headpieces. True Barleycorn style chessmen have broad barrel-bodied Kings and Queens, and are normally fabricated from bone, rarely ivory. These English Barleycorn Chessmen are in Very Good-to-excellent condition. This set of chessmen was probably produced between 1820 and 1840. The antique chessboard shown is not part of this auction, but a suitable can be purchased elsewhere on this site.
The term Type II English Barleycorn Chessmen is used to describe a range of Barleycorn designs which feature highly decorated, fluted bodies and ornate finials often with carved acanthus leaves atop the Kings. The better sets will often have copious leaf and rope carvings on the bodies of the Royal pieces and cogged or lobed cases. These chessmen were primarily fabricated from bone and were made in England during the 19th century. The Queens will have spherical crowns with small, simple finials. The Royal pieces will be pedestal mounted, often with reeded details. Rooks are normally stout towers, often sporting tapered staffs or secondary towers and flags. Bishops, Knights and Pawns are baluster mounted, often reeded. The English Barleycorn Type II chess sets first appeared at the beginning of the 19th century, which coincided with the advent of the ornamental lathe.
This poplar English Barleycorn Chessmen design suffered from instability and fragile details which were easily broken. Other common complaints were that the “busy” design could disturb a player’s concentration and the size of the Royal pieces often obscured the view of the other chessmen during play. (Needless to say, these sets were not conducive to Blitz Chess!) Barleycorn chess sets were in common use through the early 20th Century. Despite its early popularity, the design was quickly replaced by the now standard Staunton chessmen, first offered in September of 1849. The new Staunton chessmen proved to be much more stable, durable and suitable for practical play.
The chessmen are fabricated from natural and red-stained bone. The King stands 4″ tall with a 1-3/8″ diameter base. The Rooks are massive, reticulated towers, extremely intricately carved, with a heavily detailed body. The flags surmounted atop the Rooks are present, but not shown in the images provided. very detailed flag finial. The Bishops, Knights and Pawns are typical baluster mounted headpieces. True Barleycorn style chessmen have broad barrel-bodied Kings and Queens, and are normally fabricated from bone, rarely ivory. These English Barleycorn Chessmen are in Very Good-to-excellent condition. This set of chessmen was probably produced between 1820 and 1840. The antique chessboard shown is not part of this auction, but a suitable can be purchased elsewhere on this site.
The term Type II English Barleycorn Chessmen is used to describe a range of Barleycorn designs which feature highly decorated, fluted bodies and ornate finials often with carved acanthus leaves atop the Kings. The better sets will often have copious leaf and rope carvings on the bodies of the Royal pieces and cogged or lobed cases. These chessmen were primarily fabricated from bone and were made in England during the 19th century. The Queens will have spherical crowns with small, simple finials. The Royal pieces will be pedestal mounted, often with reeded details. Rooks are normally stout towers, often sporting tapered staffs or secondary towers and flags. Bishops, Knights and Pawns are baluster mounted, often reeded. The English Barleycorn Type II chess sets first appeared at the beginning of the 19th century, which coincided with the advent of the ornamental lathe.
This poplar English Barleycorn Chessmen design suffered from instability and fragile details which were easily broken. Other common complaints were that the “busy” design could disturb a player’s concentration and the size of the Royal pieces often obscured the view of the other chessmen during play. (Needless to say, these sets were not conducive to Blitz Chess!) Barleycorn chess sets were in common use through the early 20th Century. Despite its early popularity, the design was quickly replaced by the now standard Staunton chessmen, first offered in September of 1849. The new Staunton chessmen proved to be much more stable, durable and suitable for practical play.
Carved Bone "The Moon" Set, mid 20th Century
Carved Bone "The Moon" Set mid 20th Century
King 5.5" (14cm)
King 5.5" (14cm)
Vintage Japanese "Netsuke" style chess set
Vintage Japanese "Netsuke" style chess set aka the Army of Occupation set because most were sold to the Army of Occupation troops after WWII. One side natural the other darkened brown. Sublime, detailed Hand Carved chess set. The pieces in traditional dress, with toggle aperture.
Extreme details are further accented with ink-marking for emphasis and embellishment of additional features of the pieces. Signed-marked on the underside of both Kings, as shown for both Kings. Outstanding quality with tiny variations due to hand carving, no two pieces are exactly the same.
Extreme details are further accented with ink-marking for emphasis and embellishment of additional features of the pieces. Signed-marked on the underside of both Kings, as shown for both Kings. Outstanding quality with tiny variations due to hand carving, no two pieces are exactly the same.
Vintage Wood/Bone chess set, mid 20th Century
Hand made. Hand carving and painting. Each figure is decorated with bone. King height 5.5 inches or 14 cm. Set includes a board with a side length of 15.75 inches or 40 cm.
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