Collectors News
Every now and then, I find a news item, an odd sale on ebay, or some other snippet which strike me as interesting, and I would like to share with visitors to the Museum. Here goes, for a first helping. And hereby comes my request:
I would like to make this website at bit more interactive, as far as the format permits, and that involves a give and take from users and visitors as well. So, folks - lets waltz - if You find any news item of Your own, please forward, preferably with photos in jpg format, for publishing - with due mention of the provider, of course!
I would like to make this website at bit more interactive, as far as the format permits, and that involves a give and take from users and visitors as well. So, folks - lets waltz - if You find any news item of Your own, please forward, preferably with photos in jpg format, for publishing - with due mention of the provider, of course!
Baburin's online chess book auction a success
The online book auction of chess book antiquarian, Grandmaster, chess teacher and "strongest Irish chess player of all times" Alexander Baburin took place online from 9th to 11th of February. All 109 lots were sold, with the cherry going to a 1.Edition of Philidor's "Analyse des Echecs" published in London! in 1749 - at 4.836.- Euros. The next highest bid was posted for the Torunament book of the 2nd American Chess congree of 1871, bringing in 628.- euros. In general , the auction abounded with bound and unbound collections of old chess magazines, and some very good buys were to be had for the aficionado.
The next auction should take place somewhere around May , so stay tuned. You can check all the results clicking here
The next auction should take place somewhere around May , so stay tuned. You can check all the results clicking here
Ebay showpieces
Herman Steiner chess sets
Several months ago I was contacted by a Californian who has inherited a garage full of Herman Steiner designed chess pieces. The story as told is all here - check it out, it is most interesting, last not least for the superb photos from the Piatigorsky tournaments (please note the Solora chess clocks used!).
The owners of some 50 old chess sets want to sell them off at a fairly hefty price, which may be justified by the association with Herman Steiner - and various chess-crazed Hollywood greats who have used or owned them. And then - one can always compromise, can't one?
The owners of some 50 old chess sets want to sell them off at a fairly hefty price, which may be justified by the association with Herman Steiner - and various chess-crazed Hollywood greats who have used or owned them. And then - one can always compromise, can't one?
Justice theme chess men
A chess set cast in bronze, representing a US court of law. This is meant to be a hefty collectable or present for lawyers and judges, but might appeal to collectors of all quadrants. Check on
www.approachthebench.com | 
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Jaques 1860 on ebay
A superb Ivory Jaques club size set was offered recently on ebay for 20.000.- pounds, somewhat impromptu , by a well known ebay collector and seller. As predictable the auction fell through - ebay is a bit too cheap for top chess sets - although most likely the business was concluded later on for a somewhat lower price. Check the photos on ebay - they usually are visible for two months after auction - they give a very good impression of what I surmise a superb Harrwitz type Jaques set should look like....
Fused Amber!
Now and then, one is privileged to learn something new through the colourful descriptions of chess items on ebay. In this case, the auction for a
FUSED AMBER CHESS
is likely to (con)fuse many viewers. Can amber, being fossilized tree resin, be fused? By lighting a fuse? And at which temperature? Will it stay amber or become some kind of tar? And which kind of fusion would be involved - melting, atomic fusion, or some other chemical joining ? The seller does add a cautionary element by stating the text was translated from Russian via a translation program...il traduttore c'e il traditore ......perhaps he actually meant amber compressed from smaller particles - this does exist.
The fact is, that anything goes on ebay. And so we see that the well known Moscow Industrial Association Plastic Set from the 70ies - is fused into a 2.000.- USD amber set - cheap at that, if the (trans)fusion did work! Postage offered is in line with USD 200.- , possibly for shipping via the Transsib to Wladiwostok and then on....
The Curator of the Museum Amber Cabinet insists that the Russians back in those days were not trying to create amber effects in this chess set, but rather the swirling opaque forms of Murano glass, which they did achieve in a way...
This item provided by Guy Lyons - thanks Guy!
FUSED AMBER CHESS
is likely to (con)fuse many viewers. Can amber, being fossilized tree resin, be fused? By lighting a fuse? And at which temperature? Will it stay amber or become some kind of tar? And which kind of fusion would be involved - melting, atomic fusion, or some other chemical joining ? The seller does add a cautionary element by stating the text was translated from Russian via a translation program...il traduttore c'e il traditore ......perhaps he actually meant amber compressed from smaller particles - this does exist.
The fact is, that anything goes on ebay. And so we see that the well known Moscow Industrial Association Plastic Set from the 70ies - is fused into a 2.000.- USD amber set - cheap at that, if the (trans)fusion did work! Postage offered is in line with USD 200.- , possibly for shipping via the Transsib to Wladiwostok and then on....
The Curator of the Museum Amber Cabinet insists that the Russians back in those days were not trying to create amber effects in this chess set, but rather the swirling opaque forms of Murano glass, which they did achieve in a way...
This item provided by Guy Lyons - thanks Guy!
Big game fish
Trawling a lure in the ebay pond one stops if a big fish jumps - and falls back with a splash! In this case - it is an antique? chess set in Gold and Silver which is offered without any warranties at a courageous starter price of 11.900.- Euros - the seller does invite interested parties to come and check it over!
I recall that a similar set - even more opulent - was offered years ago by a US party, for an enormous sum - so maybe this offer here might even appear to be a bargain. I also recall it was being touted then as 19th century and made by Viennese silversmiths....
I recall that a similar set - even more opulent - was offered years ago by a US party, for an enormous sum - so maybe this offer here might even appear to be a bargain. I also recall it was being touted then as 19th century and made by Viennese silversmiths....
Bone pulpit set on ebay goes sky high
A recent auction on ebay.co.uk (ended on the 30th of October) saw a rare bone pulpit set hit the record high (for ebay, that is) of 6.100.- pounds!! It is not often that such out of the ordinary chess sets are offered on ebay - if it is cheap trash, throw it into the ebay mill, is what they say in the States! Perhaps the scarcity of good sets explains the stampede to these dizzy heights....
The seller provided a minute rundown of all the damages and repairs, and even ventured the opinion it might have made by french prisoners captured by the British during the Napoleonic wars! In any case, the thesis that these sets were carved in Spain has been long discounted- whoever came up with this ? - and right now the general consensus seems to be they were indeed carved in Great Britain. My personal theory involves cave-dwelling pixies and dwarfs in the hills of Wales....another theorist might insist they were all fashioned by a man called Jones to deceive unsuspecting Americans....
Check it out - quite a strapping ensemble of tall pieces - ebay-photos fade away after two and a half months - and cannot be copied any more, more's the pity......
The seller provided a minute rundown of all the damages and repairs, and even ventured the opinion it might have made by french prisoners captured by the British during the Napoleonic wars! In any case, the thesis that these sets were carved in Spain has been long discounted- whoever came up with this ? - and right now the general consensus seems to be they were indeed carved in Great Britain. My personal theory involves cave-dwelling pixies and dwarfs in the hills of Wales....another theorist might insist they were all fashioned by a man called Jones to deceive unsuspecting Americans....
Check it out - quite a strapping ensemble of tall pieces - ebay-photos fade away after two and a half months - and cannot be copied any more, more's the pity......
Klittich & Pfankuch auction Nr. 60 a great success
A resounding success was the birthday present for Klittich - antiquarians and auctioneers in Brunswick, Lower Saxony - for their 60th chess book auction - this means roughly 30 years of selling rare chess books - and other books, prints, paintings as well. There is no doubt Klittich & Pfankuch are the leading chess book auctioneers worldwide - and this constitutes a serious achievement for this small family business in a provincial town in Germany.
Lot 504 - a Hieronymus Vida edition, printed in Lyon in 1525 in latin, largely exceeded the estimate of 2.600.- Euro, and reached a whopping 12.000.- euros - not bad for an old book , especially in these days of crisis.
See the rest of the results at
www.klittich-pfankuch.de
maybe there is a non-starter you might like to acquire in the aftermath.....
Lot 504 - a Hieronymus Vida edition, printed in Lyon in 1525 in latin, largely exceeded the estimate of 2.600.- Euro, and reached a whopping 12.000.- euros - not bad for an old book , especially in these days of crisis.
See the rest of the results at
www.klittich-pfankuch.de
maybe there is a non-starter you might like to acquire in the aftermath.....
Christies auction on the 13th of December
A few chess sets of a modest nature are appearing in our forthcoming Interiors sale on 13th December and are sporadically placed throughout the sale. I just thought I would draw your attention to them
for your interest. We are offering a slightly larger group in our sale on 28th February 2012.
Further information can be gleaned from our website, but the chess interest lots are: 200, 203, 326, 329 and 332. Sale number 3515.
If you should require further information and additional images, please do get in touch with either myself or Ella Harvey (our sale Administrator) copied into this email.
1.1.2012
PPS
On trying to check these items, I found that all these chess lots had been retired by Christies!! Obviously somebody thought it was not worth while to hide chess sets among the furniture.....
Kind regards and best wishes for Christmas and the new year.
Pippa Green
Pippa Green | Specialist | Furniture & Works of ArtCHRISTIE'S85 Old Brompton Road | London SW7 3LD Tel: +44 207 752 3295
Fax: +44 207 752 3355
(posted by Duncan Pohl)
Further information can be gleaned from our website, but the chess interest lots are: 200, 203, 326, 329 and 332. Sale number 3515.
If you should require further information and additional images, please do get in touch with either myself or Ella Harvey (our sale Administrator) copied into this email.
1.1.2012
PPS
On trying to check these items, I found that all these chess lots had been retired by Christies!! Obviously somebody thought it was not worth while to hide chess sets among the furniture.....
Kind regards and best wishes for Christmas and the new year.
Pippa Green
Pippa Green | Specialist | Furniture & Works of ArtCHRISTIE'S85 Old Brompton Road | London SW7 3LD Tel: +44 207 752 3295
Fax: +44 207 752 3355
(posted by Duncan Pohl)
