"Deutsche Bundesform" - I find myself in the situation of having to answer my own post - but here is an interesting answer to it, and a bit of information.
The answer arrives in the first number - english language version - of the excellent german culture-oriented magazine "Karl" - see here. Karl has been around for 8 years, has established a reputation for superbly researched historical and culture-oriented articles on chess - and now has decided to conquer the english language market, where only New in Chess Magazine provides on occasion similar material (of top quality, ofcourse).
It seems the Nazi authorities and the local Munich Nazi tops wanted to spare no effort ot make the Munich 1936 Olympiad a resounding success for the "New Germany" they were propagating. Part of preparation was to have a new chess set designed - the one mentioned above - in order to repel the Staunton sets invented in "treacherous Albion", and adopted by a still fledlging FIDE.
Please read the whole article by Michael Negele (of the Ken Whyld Association), it is very interesting. Certainly a few hundred sets were made, and used throughout the Munich event.
These chess pieces seem to have had a long life after the war in German clubs, until replaced as is natural by newer pieces. The average life span of a wooden set in active club life will rarely exceed 30 years, because pieces get lost, broken, or simply chipped and chapped - and club members change as well.
For the "Bundesform" set, it remains to determine who designed these sets, in which manufactury(ies) were they produced, and where did the postwar set in the same style originate from.
9 Comments
Michael
11/9/2009 06:38:24 am
If you can read some German, there is an article on Wikipedia on the Bundesforn chess set (with a link to your website BTW).
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thomas shaffer
9/16/2011 12:33:25 am
Hello, i live in denver, colorado and i paint in detail plastic roxy chess sets. I have painted now about 18 sets of diffeent 'set colors'.
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Hi, no idea. Do not even know if they are still made, or if You just happened to get hold of some old stock.
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thomas shaffer
11/13/2011 01:06:01 am
I am trying to find the Roxy Renaissance
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thomas shaffer
11/13/2011 01:14:11 am
Sorry, i didn't see your reply before i sent you another. Thak you for answering me. I am still looking. I don't know of the charly chaplin sets, and i have no idea how to cast my own. I wish i did because i would make a cast of the roxy set and then cast my own. Anyway Thanks again for your help, and sorry for the double question above.
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8/7/2013 09:27:23 pm
I think you have discussed the best and most important tips about the importance of chess game and the means to be a great player. I have taken some tips from here to share it with my friends and I will come again for more updates.
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Susan Warren
4/15/2016 03:05:36 pm
I have a 925 sterling silver Nazi Chess Board from the tournament in Munich with the stamp of the maker, the symbols of München at both top corners and am trying to find an appraiser.
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Nicholas R. Lanier
Infected with chess fever at an early age - never recovered.... Archives
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