Lot Essay
A similar lot sold Phillips, Bond Street, 12 May 1997, lot 61.
The design of the present set, on a Nordic theme of Romans versus Barbarians, is based on that of a gold and silver set presented to the great American chess player Paul Morphy on his return from Europe, on the 25th of May 1859, where, at the age of twenty, he had defeated all the noted opponents of the day, with the exception of Staunton, who apparently refused to face him over a board. The German firm of Secbafs & Cie, of Offenbach sur Maine originaly held the pattern for this set, however, the Zimmermann foundry also produced it, along with a variety of other iron set at the foundry in Hanau, east of Frankfurt.
COMPARATIVE LITERATURE:
Alex Hammond, The Book of Chessmen, Arthur Barker Ltd, London 1950. Pages 81-4, see fig.1-2.
A.E.J. Mackett-Beeson, Chessmen Pleasures and Treasues, Weidenfeld & Nicolson, London 1968. Pages 46-7, see fig.38.
Victor Keats, Chessmen for Collector's, Batsford, London 1985. See pages 91-3, see fig.106.
The design of the present set, on a Nordic theme of Romans versus Barbarians, is based on that of a gold and silver set presented to the great American chess player Paul Morphy on his return from Europe, on the 25th of May 1859, where, at the age of twenty, he had defeated all the noted opponents of the day, with the exception of Staunton, who apparently refused to face him over a board. The German firm of Secbafs & Cie, of Offenbach sur Maine originaly held the pattern for this set, however, the Zimmermann foundry also produced it, along with a variety of other iron set at the foundry in Hanau, east of Frankfurt.
COMPARATIVE LITERATURE:
Alex Hammond, The Book of Chessmen, Arthur Barker Ltd, London 1950. Pages 81-4, see fig.1-2.
A.E.J. Mackett-Beeson, Chessmen Pleasures and Treasues, Weidenfeld & Nicolson, London 1968. Pages 46-7, see fig.38.
Victor Keats, Chessmen for Collector's, Batsford, London 1985. See pages 91-3, see fig.106.