Spanish Chessmen

Spain is extremely rich in chessmen, due to its preeminent place in the history of chess. While oder sets are rare, teh 20th Century has produced a large amount of chess pieces in wood (mainly Catalunha) and in pewter, from the numerous spanish foundries. To this day, newspapers and magazines have chess sets made and distributed to their readers, generally in foundry metal - there are dozens of designs around.

Don Quijote

Tall and well-carved set in stone oak - the winged knights refer less to poor Rosinante than to Pegasus and the immortal Cervantes' poetic inspiration! The kings - Don Quijote in person -  stand 135 mm high, the windmill rooks are in quiescent position. Quijote is one of the two classic themes of spanish chessmen - inumerous sets in all kind of materials abound - wherever You see a windmill lurking in a chess set - be assured: it is another incarnation of the Man from La Mancha!

Joc Catalan 

Joc Catalan designed by or for the Casa Baqué  in Barcelona in the 30ies - and presented at the Barcelona International Exhibition in 1929 - 5 years before the Civil War put an end to Art Nouveau and Catalan crafts. This is a modern replique, following the measures and form of one of the few old sets still existing. King stands 84 mm, lovely polish and finish, varnished and felted.

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Carved olivewood chessmen

Well finished chessmen in olive wood,  from Catalunya in the 70ies - carved with machine-aid, for the well known house of Escardibul. Later editions were cast in a resin/sawdust mixture! Kings stand 129 mm, are felted, and contained in an attaché case!

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Folk style chessmen

Two different sets from the same makers in Catalunya - gaudily painted bands of simply carved chessmen, folkloric style, rough painting, 1960ies - again Escardibul.

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Hardwood pieces

Burnished and decorated hardwood pieces, from the 70ies, in wood from the iberian stone oak - similar sets are still being made nowadays. King stands 96 mm, knights are a bit hangnose - and unstable. Felted.

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Tall hardwood men

Very tall and heavy chess men (king 160 mm) in olive wood, lightly decorated,  ca. 1960 - similar chessmen are still being carved, see here and also here.

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Kleopatra and Julius Cesar

Olive wood set, handwhittled, opposing Kleopatra,  plus her appendix husband Ptolemaios to the Romans under Julius Cesar. The black pawns represent mummies, the black bishops the god Ptah, and the rooks are pyramids - slippery to grab! On the light side , Cesar's wife has an impressive hairdo - height 91 - the pawns are cast as roman milites  but the black side is the spectacular one. Olive wood  natural and blackened.

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