A fine and rare German ivory chess set, circa 1850

Details

A fine and rare German ivory chess set, circa 1850
Amusingly modelled as mice versus owls, the owls parcel-stained chestnut brown, the royal pieces crowned and robed, the owl king holding a sceptre and supporting an orb in his talons, the owl queen with sceptre, the mouse king with sceptre, the mouse queen holding a fan, the bishops wearing mitres and holding croziers, the knights as warriors wearing plumed helmets, with swords and shields, the shields carved with horses heads, the rooks modelled as mice and owls crouched and perched on ruined fortifications, the pawns each individually modelled, some of the mice with swords and shields, one with an axe, one shown eating wheat, another with a bandaged ear and another supported on crutches, the owls shown variously perched on rocky outcrops, some with displayed wings, one holding a sword, another pinning a mouse with its talons and another with a leg in a sling, all the pieces inset with glass eyes tinted ruby to the mice and amber to the owls, on integral naturalistically carved and moulded square stepped bases, fitted in a coromandel veneered and satinwood lined casket, with the retailer's gilt brass lable W. THORNHILL. 144 New Bond Street
the kings -- 3in. (7.6cm) high; the pawns -- 2 1/8in. (5.4cm) high; the casket -- 13 3/8in. (34cm) wide

Lot Essay

This unique and charming chess set possibly emanates from Eberbach or its environs, in South Western Germany. Eberbach was a centre of ivory carving from the 17th century onwards and flourishing in the middle of the 19th century, producing a variety of fine ivory ornaments and wares. The set was undoubtedly crafted for the English market, with the distinctive mitres to the bishops, and was probably a special commission. The retailer's Thornhill of New Bond Street......

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