POSSIBLY BY THE LOMONOSOV FACTORY, SECOND QUARTER 20TH CENTURY

Details

A Russian porcelain propaganda figural chess set
Possibly by the Lomonosov factory, second quarter 20th century
The theme based on the Capitalists versus Communists, the one side predominately in coral hues, the opposing side in black, heightened in gilt, the capitalist king represented as a figure of Death, the queen as Fortune, the pawns as workers bound in chains, on the Communist side the king is represented as an industrial laborourer, the queen as agricultural worker, the pawns bearing sickles, all pieces marked to the underside with a blue sickle and hammer symbol, the rook marked 1929 in blue.
King -- 4¼in. (6cm.); pawn -- 23/8in. (6cm.) high

Special notice

VAT rate of 17.5% is payable on hammer price plus buyer’s premium. All lots sold not cleared by 1.00p.m. on the Thursday following the sale will be removed to the warehouse of: Cadogan Tate Ltd., Fine Art Services Cadogan House, 2 Relay Road London W12 7JS Telephone: 44 (0)20 8753 3700 Facsimile: 44 (0)20 8753 3701 Lots will be available for collection following transfer to Cadogan Tate on the Friday following the sale and every weekday from 9.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. PLEASE NOTE THAT THERE WILL BE NO CHARGE TO PURCHASERS WHO COLLECT THEIR LOTS WITHIN ONE WEEK OF THE SALE. On the Thursday one week after the sale, a transfer and administration charge of £18.50 per lot will be payable and a storage charge of £3.20 per lot per day will then come into effect. These charges are payable to Cadogan Tate and are subject to VAT and an insurance surcharge.

Lot Essay

The Lomonosov Porcelain Factory, located in St. Petersburg, was formerly known as the Imperial Factory until the October Revolution of 1917. Under state ownership, the art director, Sergei Chekhonine, produced politically motivated designs in bright colours, often using the old imperial factory moulds. These propaganda sets were known to be production from 1925. COMPARATIVE LITERATURE
A similar lot was sold, Sotheby's New York, English and Continental Silver and Chess Sets, 4-5th October 1979, lot 568.
This is set is also illustrated in Victor Keats, The Illustrated Guide to World Chess Sets, Batsford 1985, page 169 ill. 195

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