LATE 19TH CENTURY

Details

A CAMBODIAN IVORY CHESS SET
LATE 19TH CENTURY
Of abstract form, the knights carved as horse's heads with decorative manes
The king -- 1¾ in. (4.5 cm.) high
Together with a Cambodian hardwood games board -- 21½ x 15½ in. (54.5 x 39.5 cm.) (2)

Special notice

Prospective purchasers are advised that several countries prohibit the importation of property containing materials from endangered species, including but not limited to coral, ivory and tortoiseshell. Accordingly, prospective purchasers should familiarize themselves with relevant customs regulations prior to bidding if they intend to import this lot into another country.

Lot Essay

This type of chess set is recognised as being Cambodian/Thai by chess historians, and traditionally based on a style used for conventional play. The most recognisable piece, in accordance with Western traditions, is the knight. The others are generally bulbous resembling shells or pebbles that would have been used in common play. Gareth Williams notes that Saigon (Ho Chi Minh) was a carving centre and trading port under French colonial rule until the mid 20th Century. Similar examples in collections have been broadly dated from the 18th century to the 20th Century. See Colleen Schafroth Sculptures in Miniature; Chess Sets from the Maryhill Museum of Art, Washington, 1990, page 33.

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