Dutch Chess Set, late 18th c.

Dutch Chess Set, late 18th c.

Here is the antique chess set that turned me into a passionate collector. For many years, I had a remote interest in chess, but did not really take the time to dig deeper into it. Then I saw this chess set and I felt like an art collector. I did not care about costs, I only had this strong urge to have this set. Until then, I did not even have a faint idea that chess sets like these existed. So, I checked my financials and decided to give it a go. I did not regret the decision. It is still one of my favorite sets.

The pieces are Dutch and probably date back to the late 18th century. Beautiful large (King size just over 4") hand turned and carved pieces, I believe made from boxwood and ebony. The pieces have a very elongated, slender shape and show a very delicate turning. The kings and queens have turned bulb finials made from bovine bone. The rooks were carved as turrets with pointed spires with a lot of detail and are true masterpieces, which are almost unique for this type of set. The knights as arched horses' heads are rather oversized but beautifully carved and have perhaps the most historical character of all sets I own. The bishops have turned dome finials in opposite colour. The entire set has gained a nice patina over the centuries.
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