Porcelain & Stoneware

Porcelain has since the start of porcelain manufacturing at Meissen in the 18th century been a most welcome material for producing decorative chess sets. Practically every manufacture of renown has come up with one or more chess sets as matter of personal pride. The most coveted ones , though, continue to be those out of Meissen, especially in the earlier days of H.J. Kändler and successors - not surprising that the tune that the Meissen manufactory has repeatedly issued remakes of the old designs. Stoneware ids a cheaper material to use, and much easier to achieve for the majority of potters and pottery makers. Stone ware should not be confused with the modern do-it-Yourself poured stone designs produced for and by hobbyists....-

Cones

Fetching porcelain set with conical abstract pieces from Russia / UdSSR more likely. No information of date or origin, just a production number. Pieces are hollow and filled with sand for weighting!
16.8.2018: Thanks to the Russian Chess House, we now know this set was made in Baranovska Factory in Shitomir, Ucraine.

Zugdidi

Old Russia in caricature

Delightful recent set - including a porcelain tray board - representing the Czarist army in caricature - with ships as rooks! Ca. 1970-1980 - Gardner Factory or its successor combinat - near Moscow. Most felts missing.

Porcelain set from Soviet days, made in the former Zugdidi Porcelain factory in Georgia (Grusia in Russian!) in the 90ies. Such sets were on offer in the plush Sovjet spa of Mineralnye Vodi and Kislovodsk in the Caucasus - some sets come in a box stating Kislovodsk Porcelain! Zugdidi was the capital of the Duchy of Mingrelia, reigned over by the Dadiani dynasty - one prince Dadiani was instrumental in the 1903 chess tournament in Monte Carlo! Check this set on J. van Vreijs's page - seems a bit darker gray!

Gardner Porcelain

The factory goes back to the 19th C and was founded by an englishman - this set sensibly was made as a top present and souvenir.

Rooster set

The most typical souvenir to take along from Portugal is the black stylized rooster with colourful markings -the rooster of Barcelos. This set opposes black roosters and chickens and white roosters and chickens - there is a little drama contained around the question: "Who stole the eggs?" This is a single piece - made to order by well-known craftsmen. The black king stands 117mm , set is made of unglazed earthenware, and handpainted.

Glazed Stoneware

Stoneware set with a glazeing over the paint - intricate figures with a slight tang of "Alice" - but I may be wrong. The rooks will tell! The kings stand 138 mm, the figures are massive and not hollow. Definitely a work of love by the ceramic craftsman who made it!