Associations and Institutions
Chess Collectors International
The "old" site of the International Chess Collectors Association - english/american chapters....
Chess Collectors Magazine
The "new" site, with news , agenda, articles etc. - still evolving, but a most welcome step forward....
CCI Italia
The very interesting site of the Italian Group of CCI - a lot more than the main CCI site. Mostly in Italian language, with selected articles translated into english. Offers a continuous bibliography, interesting articles, CD's of major Italian collections, a continuous press search of interesting tidbits, etc. etc. Continuously updated!
CCI France
Site representing the french section of CCI - not very active, looks a little bit out of sync with the rest of CCI - not updated regularly - last congress was in 2007.
Ken Whyld Association
Chess historians reunited in the memory of Ken Whyld, grand seigneur of chess. Lots of links, texts, calendar etc.
Emanuel Lasker Gesellschaft
Mainly dedicated to the memory of world champion Emanuel Lasker - edits his books, books on him , organizes symposia and exhibitions, etc.
Ebay Chess Collectors
Founded by Robert van der Veur - sports over 800 members... ebay chat group on chess collecting--- chat has revived recently after major upheavals during the last 2 or three years - lots of interesting themes and backstrings....
The Chess Collectors
The same group, but off ebay - a restricted forum for discussion of chess collectors matters....also by Robert van der Veur ...
Chess History
Histoire des Echecs - Jean-Louis Cazaux
Fascinating website, resumes almost the complete history and historiography of chess down to the latest spats in the Gruppe Königstein - also many links and information on chess variants.
Emanuel Lasker Gesellschaft
Celebrating the memory of world champion Emanuel Lasker - edits his books, books on him , organizes symposia and exhibitions on chess culture, history etc.
Förderkreis Schachgeschichtsforschung e.V.
Dedicated to furthering all reasearch relative of the origins, the history and development of chess - President Manfred Eder doubles as President of the Gruppe Königstein.
On the origins of chess - Harald Josten
Fascinating page, reflecting the opinions and options of Gerhard Josten - and documenting the activities of the Initiativgruppe Königstein - the cutting edge group in the search for the origins of chess...
Chess tournament and Match History
A stupendous collection of records, statistics, facts - and links - by Glenn Griffen.
La Grande Storia dei Scacchi
Tournaments, matches, world championships, Team competitions, Chess competition in italy - immense material, in italian and english.
Carolus Chess
Rich and steadily expanding site by Leo Hovestadt - with articles on various historical aspects - buta also a list of chess cafés
Schach und Kunst
Very interesting resumé of chess history, coupled with one man's quest for having bone chess sets made in India. in German language.
Ancient Chess
Intriguing page dedicated to historical chess variants, to chess history, and to historical chess pieces - unique twist on the past of chess!
Olympic Database
Everything about the Chess Olimpics - and practically any international team championships You might think of...
Swiss Chess Museum - Schweizer Schachmuseum
A virtual Museum with a solid and well illustrated course of chess history and culture - also includes a moveable chess exhibition that can be rented for events - in german language.
Heritage des Echecs
History of French Chess - in french language.
Moravian Chess
Site of Vlastimil Fiala - reprints historical chess books and magazines, publishes a quarterly on chess history.
Goddess Chess
Group co-founded by Ricardo Calvo - fascinating website with lots of orginal essays by chess historians.
Culture et Curiosité des Echecs
Collection of essays by French historian Dany Senechaud - not actualized since 2007 - in french.
Arlen Walker's Chessmill
Engrossing blog on chess history, polemic questions, chess in wisconsin , and lots of other things...
Chess Culture
Chess in Art, the artchitecture of chess pieces, dutch chess history, chess in poetry and prose, the movies and lotds more - great bibliography on these themes as well.
Mario Valverde - Ensaios online
Deep-delving chess essays - immensely readable - in spanish language.
International Society of Board Game Studies
Organisation of games researchers and academics - regualr coloquia in exotic places, edits a journal.
Chess History Center
Edward Winter of Chess Notes - an institution in chess research - in collaboration with chess historian and IM Richard Forster.
Chess In Israel and Palestine - Avital Pilpel
Chess blog tracing the history of chess in Israel - in english.
Berliner Schachzettel
Online reprint and discussion of spiny questions in german chess history - in german language, obviously - edited by the Chess Association of Berlin.
Chess Archeology
Page of chess historian Jaques Pope - not actualized for some time, it seems...
Sarah's Chess Journal
Fabulous collection of essays and takes on themes of chess history - bibliographical, womens chess, much more - Sarah Hurst?
Harald Balló
Freelance investigator and chess researcher with highly interesting finds ....publishes his results in various german chess magazines.
Xadrez Memoria
Blog by Portuguese chess fan Arlindo Vieira, dedicated to revisiting the golden past of chess....in Portuguese language.
Chess Museums
Maryhill Museum of of Art
.. has a particularly fine collection of chess sets - and the curator/directrice Colleen Schafroth has produced a superb chess album from them - see Book section.
The Hermitage
Shows a few superb sets from the Museums rich collection - bit disorganized - one has to try several search criteria - the famous Tula Arms Factory sets for Katharina the Great takes sometime to find.....
Virtual Art Museum
Online chess museum - 281 chess sets....
British Museum
Shows the Unique Lewis Chessmen - oldest complete chess set in the world - but the museum stores dozens of chess sets more....
Österreichisches Museum für Volkskunde - Vienna
Two chess sets only - but one of them is the famous Griessl-Set, a superb and jocular example of of alpine folk art carving.
Rotterdam Chessmen Museum
Online gallery for a factual chess set museum, founded by 3 collectors - a must for any chess fan passing through Rotterdam.
Chess Piece Museum Rotterdam Another site for the same chess piece Museum - a bit more accessible.
Musée Suisse du Jeu
Swiss Museum on Lake Geneva, dedicated to games, with a sizeable part to chess.
Swiss Chess Museum - Schweizer Schachmuseum
A virtual chess museum with a capably presented history of chess and its culture , a collection and a an association one can join - plus a moveable collection and exhibit that can be rented to brighten chess-realted events. Astonishing - in german language!
Schachmuseum Löberitz
Chess museum and chess club founded 1871! In German language.
The World Chess Hall of Fame
A very American institution - no in its new setting on top of the s. Louis Chess club, including most of the collection of Sid Samole, formerly housed in Florida
Schachmuseum Ströbeck
Small Museum in the famous chess village - where chess was a school subject for hundreds of years....
Long Island Chess Museum- New York
Floyd Sarisohn's huge collection, generously accessible to the public - a must for any chess fan - also slowly going virtual!
The Virtual Chess Museum
Online Museum with several rooms, opulent chess sets, picture gallery etc - possibly not actualized for some time (no foto enlargement), but very interesting show.
Chess Set Collectors
Klaus Doblhammer
Excellent Austrian sets, interesting considerations on the predicaments of collectors, and also links to other collectors - in german language!
Mick Deasey
Rich Fotoalbum with fascinating sets....
Henk Huisgevaar
Another Picasa album, with some of this dutch collector's sets -
"Cousin Jack"
Another Picasa site - thoughtfull collector with a sharp eye for details....
Jon Crumiller
Gigantic collection of chess sets and related objects - probably the biggest and most important site visible on the web! Highly educative, and instructive, well presented.
Crumiller on Picasa
Jon's photo album on Picasa - permits larger photos, and can be viewed in line with the diverse other collector's albums - excellent photography!
Joost van Reiij
Dutch collector with a Picasa album documenting "centrifugal" interests....
Kristjan Sander
Not so anonymous as he would have it - very knowledgeable collector, well written takes on all kinds of chess set questions, link collection - in blog form.
Dermot Rochford
Unsurpassable in quality sets, Dermot's collection on the web is a treasure bin. Also sells a few chosen sets every now and then....
Mike Ladzinski
And again - a different and very individual approach to chess sets - great interest for 20th century competition sets, as this Picasa album proves
Andreas Witticke
German collector with a fine eye for old German sets - and for effective photography!
Frank Camaratta
Founder/Owner of online shop House of Staunton, co-founder of CCI - Frank is one of the handful of Jaques experts and also the inventor of the generally accepted "Camaratta" classification of classical Jacques Staunton chess sets . Great exhibit on the HOS page, with part of Camaratta's vast collection.
Robert van der Veur
The founder of the ebay Chess Collectors Group - refounded off ebay! Huge and varied collection of chess sets, from the arcane to the banal and back. Absolutely essential Picasa album to walk through....
Israel Raphaelli
Website with a plethora of well-photographed sets - destined to sell them off! But while the sale lasts, an interesting site - the dilemmas of a lifelong collector ....
Garden State Collection
Presents the collection of Israel and Remi Raphaelli in a different light - by the way, the authors have used their own CMS system for putting up the website!
Barry McWilliams
Chess shop owner dips into the till - I mean, starts collecting chess sets....interesting hang for non-mainstream sets (radio tube chess set...)...
Peter Armit
A very rich Picasa Fotoalbum - constantly expanding - in fact, several albums with lots of nice chess sets.... Peter Armit , among other nice features of his explications, always lists where he acquired his sets....
Brigitte Frkovic
A traveling lady with a penchant for bringing back lots of chess sets from her travels.....
Arlindo Vieira
With a strong philosophical undertow, the blog of Arlindo Vieira on chess piece collecting - and deep delving existential questions - passion and enthusiasm - in Portuguese language.
Gert Jan Slotboom
Superb collection, well presented - Gert is a specialist on wartime chess sets, both for the troops on various sides - as for POW sets and concentration camp sets.
Victor C. Stefan
British collector with a well -equipped Picasa photo site....
Alan Fersht
Leading authority on Jaques Staunton sets, and everything connected with Jaques. Author of two concise Jaques Staunton set monographies.
Fersht on Picasa
The prof's voluminous photo albums - a treasure trove of details, esp. on jaques Stautnon sets, where Alan Fersht is an acknowledged authority.
David Hafler
Lovely photo sequence showing some of the highlights of David Hafler's collection, who died a long time ago - now owned by George Dean - probably the most important private chess set collection on the planet!
Guy Lyons
Large collection, eclectic tastes, highly personal and catching explications and comments - probably the most appealing collectors site for its humanity...
Alan Dewey
Collector, restorer, historian, investigator of hidden mysteries - a very wide spectrum of material, practically exploding the narrow Picasa format. Essential and highly stimulating albums!
Ty Kroll
A collector who also makes chess sets - quite interesting - also prefers indirect lighting photography.
Chess Antiqua
Small and select collection by a british enthusiast - Tony Blair?
Ulrich Hambüchen
Most attractive presentation of a large collection - mainly souvenirs from worldwide travels, lovely photographed, and attractively set out. Chess as a flying carpet....
Marco Dorland
Collector with a fabulous spread of chess sets - and some chess clocks - unfortunately a "slow" site.....but worth the time any day...
Jim Joannou
Travel sets, old plastic sets, resin sets, miniatures - a quite individual approach to collecting ... large albums and excellent fotos....
Peter Vogel
Another site dedicated to - dissolving an exiting chess collection. The old question of any collectors (or for that matter any human being): what comes after me - any takers?
Gert Hähner
Large display of Hähner's acquisitions - Sets are numbered, by date of acquisition, which certainly brings order into chaos.
"The Tax Consultant"
A british taxman knows the value of absolute anonimity - breathcatching show of Jaques Staunton and old ivory and bone sets - a treasure for the viewing....
Dennis Hunt
Nice albums, unfortunately on a webshot site - loads of publicity and pop-ups interfere with viewing....l
Aad van den Bosch
A collector who is also a painter - and collects paintings with a chess motive! Sold most of his - first! - chess collections years ago, now on his second wind.....
Chess Computer Collectors
... collects chess computers and has a large collection of them, and an interesting website to explore, including links to other similarly fascinated collectors. In german language.
Karsten Bauermeister
Uncrowned World Champion of Chess computer Collectors - owns over 765 models of them! On the way to a superb museum - or to a space problem! In german.....
Kurt Kispert
Unfortunately a "dead" page -not acutalized since 2005 - but contains a wealth of information - some of it outdated....in german language. If You click around You can find the whole "lost" tribe of chess computer collectors... there are a lot of them...
Alain Zanchetta
Computer freak with a strong interest for all forms of computer chess - program, machines, software. has organized an open of all his own machines with himself www.flickr.com/photplaying.....english and french.
Mike Watter
British computer fan with a large and informative website, well worth exploring.
Steve Blincoe
Simple photoalbum of Steve Blincoe's computer collection on Flickr......
On Chess Collecting
Collectors Weekly
A site dedicated to all kind of collecting interests - very well designed, and easy to use - interesting to see which marginal role chess occupies among the multifarious fields....
Schach in der Literatur
Concentrates on chess in fine literature - novels, poetry, stories, theater - immense horizon... in german language.
Schachfreunde Hannover - Literatur
Also dedicated to fine literature either on chess with chess motives, involving chess players, a chess games etc. - Udo Harms - in german.
On collecting chess
Considerations on collecting chess artefacts - by Rodolfo Pozzi, in italian language.
Dewey's Notebook
Pertinent essays on chess auctions, history of lathe turning with special attention to chess sets, recognizing old sets, and sundry other themes ...- polemic, witty and with info not accessible to others...
Magazines interesting for collectors
The Chess Collector
In its 18th volume, the leading publication for chess collecting. top articles by specialists, excellent fotos, focuses on all aspects of chess collecting, with a slight bias towards chess pieces , of course! Comes with CCI membership.
Karl - Das kulturelle Schachmagazin
Quarterly Magazine mainly dedicated to the cultural aspect of chess - in german - AND maybe in english (one engliush issue published...)?
Ludica - Games History Journal
The leading academic Journal on History and Culture of Games - multilingual - supported by the Fondazione Benetton - published by this very small and elite book business in Rome - multilingual!
Quarterly for Chess History
Edited by Vlastimil Fiala of the University of Olomouc, this is an indispensable tool for anybody interested in chess history - from a collectors point of view, unfortunately the photos are of inferior quality!
Journal of Board Games History
Edited by the International Society for Board Games History - the exhilarating world of academic research!
Chess Libraries (some online...)
John G. White Collection - Cleveland Public Library
The worlds largest chess library, this donation to the Cleveland public library by avicd chess collectors John G. White sports over 32.000 books and periodicals, including the legacy of chess GM Laszlo Szabo. Unfortunately not digitalized... yet...
Cleveland Public Library - Search Machine
Search machine for the cleveland Public Library...
Anderson Collection - State Library of Victoria/Australia
Another major treasure of chess literature, the legacy of chess collector Magnus Anderson.
National Chess Library - University of Hastings, GB
Recent project that assembles the libraries of Harry Golombek and other collectors, ceded to the British Chess Federation.
Fundacion Ricardo Lamarca
Private foundation in Madrid with large library - and also a private chess club right next to the Puerta del Sol - check it out in Madrid! In spanish language....
Bibliotheca Van der Linde-Niemeijeriana
Second largest and certainly best organized chess library worldwide - part of the Royal Library of the Netherlands...
Kieler Schachkatalog - Schleswig-Holsteinische Landesbibliothek
Based on the chess book donations of Wilhelm Massmann and Gerd Meyer, this is one of the major collections - with 13.000 volumes - in german language.
Kornik Library - Polish Academy of Sciences
The library of German chess great Tassilo von Heydebrandt und von der Lasa - housed in
an old castle in Poland, part of the historical library of the Academy of Sciences in Poland.
Restoration of Chess Pieces
John Berkeley
A website dedicated to turning and restoring of turned pieces. Does chess pieces , and also sells turning materials, oils, waxes etc.
Jan Hovens
Intriguing album showing sets and pieces restored by this top restorer from Holland....
Ron Fromkin
Florida craftsman highly specialized in ivory repair.
The Sapersteins - Artisans of the Valley
New Jersey antique furniture restorers who have restored one! Jaques set - and made a detailed description of the process.
Alan Dewey
Pretty much the most specialized chess piece restorer in sight...but still active?
Chess piece makers (some)
Italfama
Makes these intriguing metal and wood Staunton chess pieces - check them out.
Bohemia
Old German manufacture, produces a strapping Staunton set , which used to be the standard in the German Bundesliga....
Chopra Chess
Girdhari Lal Chopra - a well known name in the chess and toy business - solid house, interesting offer. Works basically as an editor of chessmen - one of the best indian addresses....
Wegiel
Mr. Wegiel started out in the 80ies, carrying his chess sets and boards to the major Western European tournaments. Today - the whole world comes to his well organized manufacture in southeastern Poland. Surprising range of production.
Aristocraft Exports
Another reputed indian trade name -
Chavet Chess
One of the oldest and most traditional chess pieces manufacturies, today joined with Paris games wholeseller Morize SA. Attractive range of sets and games.....
Handmade Massive Wood Chess Boards
Maker of furniture, also chess tables, and chess boards in massive wood.
Enjeu de societé
Opulent resin sets, handmade to order......fe an erotic chess set....
Zinn aus Meissen
Pewter Fundry in Meissen, Saxonia - makes handpainted pewter chess sets among sundry other pewter items.
Industrias del Ajedrez
Without doubt the one European chess piece maker with the largest range of chessmen - check it out online - or here . Sells only to businesses.
Torneados de la Cruz
A turning and woodcraft business - makes a massive chess table with solid chess pieces.
Chess - Printed matter
Chess and publicity
Site dedicated to identifying, sorting and cataloguing the use of chess in publicity - in dutch language.
Chess postcards
Rich pictorial album of chessic postcards - by Walter Radosztics, who has passed away, more's the pity...
La Regence Manureus
Great new site on chess postcards - in spanish language.
Mister Chess
Picasa album with a massive and varied collection of magazine and newspaper articles on chess, old photos etc. - history in front of Your eyes....spellbinding for any chess rat with a feeling for the past.
Chess Caricatures & Fotos
Phantastic collection of comics, caricatures, graphics involving chess, erotic and non-erotic fotos - superb album!
Chess Autographs
.. also by Gerhard Radosztics - this site is in english!
Chess Motives
Collecting of printed matters, motives, exlibris, stamps etc. - in dutch language.
Sexy Chess Calendars
Really appealing pages - in german language, but universally understandable!
AdA - International Autograph Society
Interested in all autographs - in english language!
GSM - Gemeinschaft der Schachmotivsammler
Also about philately - but also autographs, chess postcards, telephone cards, first day coins , books, chess sets ....therefore also under Varia....in german language!
Chess Telephone Cards
Large online catalogue of telephone cards with a chess motive - in german. - not updated since 2003.
Varia
Chess clocks
German chess club Mehrhoog - with a select little chess clock show.....
The Games Board
Interesting portal leading into the wider world of Board Games.
Chess Encyclopedia La Mecca
Entries on literally any them connected with chess - a collectors dream, totality!
Echesspedia
Willi Iclicky, former FIDE General Secretary under Max Euwe, has been putting together this online encyclopedia, directed especially towards institucional and competition questions. Most informative and growing steadily - contributions welcome....
Chess Quotes
Just that - quotes on chess by the most diverse folks, mainly chess players or chess enthusiasts... astonishing and a great help for writers....
Edmund Bruns
Interesting page with chess essays, links, and more....
A Chess exhibition 1996
... at the Cleveland Public Library....
Associaçâo Ludus
Evolved from the Portuguese Movement of Mathematical Games, this organisation is interested in activities of ludic nature....which marginally touches on collecting games.
Chess Tournament Photos
Appealing site by french chess player Fabrice Wantiez , documenting all tournaments he takes part in - and some in whcih he doesn't.
Chessmen.eu
Mathieu and Ine Kloprogge - authors of an excellent book on the history of chessmen.
Chess Graphics
By Alan Cowderoy - a treasure chest of visual chess graphics - in fact an online collection of graphical material fifficult to find anywhere else....no actualized since 2003!
Chess Paintings
A huge gallery of paintings involving chess - from the illustrations in Firdausis "Shahname" (Book of kings) to contemporary painters - a "virtual" treasure trove....
Chess Variants
All about the many regional, or national subversions of chess - as well as invented deviations from the FIDE rules - useful for collecting!
Chess curiosities and studies
Studies by some of the most eminent study composers - this is the chessic appendix to a world travellers city album, well worth seening - in french.
Chess in the movies
Fabulous summary of movies where chess is either the subject or an important accessory to the script -
Mister Chess
Picasa photoalbum with very interesting photos from chess history, publicity, articles and other chessic print matter...
Chess Players portraits in the John G. White collection
A useful portrait gallery of Grandmasters past and recent.
On making chess pieces
Enthusiast site with some info on making chess pieces - still lots of room for improvement!
En Passant
Collection of chess fonts, graphics etc for web use... also homepage of Nörresundby Chess Club --- tak ska de ha!
Chess Stamps
Riccardo Andreis
Italian collector - also interested in telephone cards and chess postal stamps - lots of links as well....bella cosa!
Colin Rose
Superb site on chess stamps - the best and the longest running....
Amicale Philatelique Themechecs
French association of chess philatelic collectors - chess stamps, stamped letters and cards, postcards etc.
Jon Edwards
Jon Edwards chess site - also a place for stamps - Jon is one of the re-animators of the COSSU group (see below).
COSSU - Chess on stamps
Back in business after a two-year lapse - an international enterprise now, comprising the leading collectors of chess stamps. Absolutely essential to visit....
Gemeinschaft der Schachmotivsammler
Also about philately - but also autographs, chess postcards, telephone cards, first day coins , books, chess sets ....therefore also under Varia....in german language!
Thematique Philatelique sur le theme des echecs
Reunites practically all chess stamps ever published - until 2008 - in french language.
Dealers & Antiquarians
Tim Millard
Interesting site, chosen sets - one of the top London chess set anitiquarians.
Garrick Coleman
The most eminent chess antiquary on the rich London scene - a beautiful site, with well presented top class sets, and instructive comments as well!
Elizabeth Gann
Specialized US chess piece dealer - very strong on modern to vintage porcelain sets.
Russian Mammoth Ivory
Deals in mammoth ivory stuff - mainly chess sets, by Oleg Raikis and other sculptors.
Courier Chess
Dedicated to the resurrection of a forgotten chess variant - 12 x 10 Courier Chess, quite current in 16th century Europe - Rick Knowlton has managed to reproduce the Courier chess pieces present in Lucas van Leyden's famous chess play painting!
Schaakkunst - Chess Art
Specialized gallery for chess paintings, also do repros of chess paintings, and sell chess material - do sales stands in dutch chess tournaments.
Antique & Used Chess Books
Tony Peterson
Strong on german and british literature....
Schach und Spiele - Michael Ehn
Mainly German language chess books from estates - huge stock - check f.e. for editions of the venerable "Wiener Schachzeitung"....
Kimmo Välkesalmi
Big stock in Russian, german and english chess books....
Shakeril Raimo Lindroos - Shakeril
Another very big finnish chess book shop, with a huge antiquarian stock.
Chess Bookshop Karel Mokry
Great webside - regularly comes up with great rarities in all languages....site is in english and czech ...
Bernd Schneider
International Master converted into chess book seller....
Alexander Baburin
Chess shop with a bend for antiquarian stuff - GM Baburin also does - used to do! - antique book auctions, last one in June 2008!
Schachhaus Mädler
Chess shop with large antique stock in Dresden - no online catalogue though, You have to go there.
The Chess Collector
Texas-based antiquarian with a very interesting range of old books on chess - check it out.
Auction Houses
Klittich & Pfannkuch - Hannover
One annual auction on or involving chess, mainly books and prints. Also have a steady supply of antiquarian chess books and magazines....
Sotheby's
Needs no explication....occasional items of chess collecting interest.
Christies
Needs no explication....occasional items of chess collecting interest.
Alexander Baburin & James Hayes
Online vintage and antique chess books Last book auction online in June 2008!
Philips
Occasional chess book items in other auctions.
Bonham's
The only major auction house running two special chess auctions per year !
Worldwide Auction House Directory
All the auction houses that count.
Chess Link Collectors
The Chess Portal
The ultimate in link platforms - link collecting is a fairly frequent pastime - look at the link platforms platform on this one - in 5 languages! The unending world of chess - an exploding supernova of chess sites.......
The World Chesslinks
Just as ambitious as the Portal, this site offers endless avenues of exploration - listing sites also by nation!
