Chess set - Wood

Museum-Quality Hand-Carved Chess Set

– Exquisite woods Rosewood & Zebrawood – approx. mid-20th century.
20th century

For sale is an exceptional, fully handmade antique chess set with an intricately inlaid wooden chessboard, crafted from noble woods (according to the manufacturer: rosewood and zebrawood).

This ensemble comes from a private collection and is estimated to be at least about 60 years old.

Craftsmanship

The 32 chess pieces are completely hand-carved and display remarkable attention to detail. Notably expressive faces and individually designed garments indicate high-quality craftsmanship.

King height approx. 10 cm

Complete set with all pieces
Each piece individually worked
Bottoms traditionally felt-lined
Square: 47 cm x 47 cm, height 1.2 cm

Style & Origin

The piece ensemble is designed in an Oriental-historic-inspired style, as is common in high-quality export art from artisanal workshops (including Southern and Eastern European as well as South Asian craft traditions).

The execution recalls classical depictions of historical rulers and court scenes, as frequently realized in artisanal chess sets of the 20th century.

Chessboard

The matching wooden chessboard is finely crafted and features decorative inlay work. The warm grain of the woods emphasizes the decorative character of the ensemble, making it an elegant piece for living and collecting.

Condition

The chess set is in very good, well-maintained condition with beautiful, authentic patina. Complete, with no identifiable missing parts.

Character & Rarity

This set is not an industrial mass-product but a handcrafted unique piece from a time when chess sets were produced as decorative art objects.

It is suitable as:

- a high-quality collectible
- decorative interior object
- a fully playable chess game