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Theater by Oleg Raikis, 2022
The set represents characters from Shakespeare's Hamlet.
The king is Shakespeare. The queen is Ophelia. The bishop is the ghost of Hamlet's father, hence the face is empty. The knights are Jester Yorick. The pawns are theatrical masks, each mask has a different expression.
This extraordinary set was created by noted sculptor and Carver Oleg Raikis. His chess carvings are internationally recognized and are highly prized and sought-after by chess collectors Worldwide.
This is the only copy of this set in wood. King 11.5 cm. The kings are signed by Oleg.
The king is Shakespeare. The queen is Ophelia. The bishop is the ghost of Hamlet's father, hence the face is empty. The knights are Jester Yorick. The pawns are theatrical masks, each mask has a different expression.
This extraordinary set was created by noted sculptor and Carver Oleg Raikis. His chess carvings are internationally recognized and are highly prized and sought-after by chess collectors Worldwide.
This is the only copy of this set in wood. King 11.5 cm. The kings are signed by Oleg.
Battle of Vienna by Leonid Golovko, circa 2010
This magnificent chess set created by the very talented artist Leonid Golovko
A true piece of art.
Battle of Vienna took place on 11 and 12 September 1683, when the Ottoman Empire period of two months laid siege to Vienna, the capital of Austria. In a large battle won by Polish-Austrian-German troops under the command of Jan III Sobieski, King of Poland. Troops of the Ottoman Empire commanded Kara Mustafa, Grand Vizier Mehmed IV. Defeat was the beginning of the decline of the Ottoman Empire and the exaltation of the Habsburgs. If the Ottoman Empire defeated the siege of Vienna in 1683, Europe as we know it, most likely wouldn't exist!
Each figure collection from the King and to the pawn, the real historic character with detailed and accurate rendering features, weapons and uniforms. All pieces are hand painted porcelain with glaze and gilding, titanium sputtering. Whiteboard-pouch made of Karelian Birch and array in itself is a work of art.
Only 13 copies made.
Material: Porcelain.
Covered with: gold, platinum, glaze, chrome-plated spraying.
Piece's height: 13-17 cm.
Chessboard material: Karelian birch.
Chessboard size: 66 x 66 cm.
A true piece of art.
Battle of Vienna took place on 11 and 12 September 1683, when the Ottoman Empire period of two months laid siege to Vienna, the capital of Austria. In a large battle won by Polish-Austrian-German troops under the command of Jan III Sobieski, King of Poland. Troops of the Ottoman Empire commanded Kara Mustafa, Grand Vizier Mehmed IV. Defeat was the beginning of the decline of the Ottoman Empire and the exaltation of the Habsburgs. If the Ottoman Empire defeated the siege of Vienna in 1683, Europe as we know it, most likely wouldn't exist!
Each figure collection from the King and to the pawn, the real historic character with detailed and accurate rendering features, weapons and uniforms. All pieces are hand painted porcelain with glaze and gilding, titanium sputtering. Whiteboard-pouch made of Karelian Birch and array in itself is a work of art.
Only 13 copies made.
Material: Porcelain.
Covered with: gold, platinum, glaze, chrome-plated spraying.
Piece's height: 13-17 cm.
Chessboard material: Karelian birch.
Chessboard size: 66 x 66 cm.
German Arminus Set, Circa 1900
Antique cased German boldly carved wood 'Arminus' chess set with spectacular knights and winged helmet warriors. King 12 cm, Circa 1900. Came with custom case.
Soviet Propaganda Porcelain Chessmen, Reds versus Whites
This is a rare and historically important Soviet Propaganda Porcelain Chessmen, also known as the Russian Reds versus Whites. The chess pieces are painted and gilt. The first run of these chess pieces was made at the porcelain produced by the Lomonosov Factory in St. Petersburg. The King stands 3.7″ tall. This version was likely made in St. Petersburg in the 1990s.
The Soviet Propaganda Chess set is an example of the propaganda porcelain produced by the State Porcelain Factory soon after the establishment of communism in Russia.in the years immediately following the 1917 Russian Revolution. The original Propaganda set was designed by two sisters who worked in the factory. Natalya Danko formed the figures and Yelena Danko painted them. Five versions of this set have since been identified as of this writing, including this set, sets marked 1921, 1923, 1925, and unidentified set, and the limited-edition Israeli version.
This set is a solid casting, like the 1925 and Israeli sets, not hollow, like the other versions. The pieces are marked on their undersides with the Soviet hammer and sickle mark, adjacent stylized crown.
The chess set has two very distinct armies. On the Communist side, the King is a blacksmith holding a sledgehammer; the Queen, a peasant woman carrying sheaves of wheat adorned with stars; Bishops are Russian soldiers, Knights are horses, Rooks are horse-headed boats, and the Pawns are female reapers holding sickles and sheaves of wheat.
On the Capitalist side: the King is represented as Death adorned with armor wearing an ermine-line cloak, the Queen, an allegory of Fortuna, holds a cornucopia brimming with gold coins; Bishops are officers of the Old Regime, Knights are horses, Rooks are boats with Pawns being suppressed workers or slaves bound in chains.
A Bit of History.
Previously the Imperial Factory until the Revolution in 1917, the Lomonosov Porcelain Factory in St. Petersburg produced propaganda sets like this from 1922 onward. As the Bolsheviks took power of the country, they wanted to make porcelain affordable for the masses. Only the upper-class were able to buy such luxuries before. The new designs also represented the communist agenda and were a form of propaganda. The Post Revolution factory produced porcelain with a propagandist slant and are often associated with Sergei Chekhonin, the factory Director of Artistic Production. Highly sought-after propagandist items like the busts of Engles and Marx and the figure of the ‘Red Army Soldier’ were soon followed by a series of small sculptures promoting the differences in ideologies. The offered set, designed by the sculptress Natalia Danko, circa 1922, reflect this popular propagandist sentiment which favored the Soviets. The Imperial Porcelain Factory has reissued several items designed by prominent Russian artists from the 1920s, inspired by the avant-garde. The largest and most expensive item in the new porcelain collection is the “Red and White” chess set.
Many thanks to Frank Camaratta for the description.
The Soviet Propaganda Chess set is an example of the propaganda porcelain produced by the State Porcelain Factory soon after the establishment of communism in Russia.in the years immediately following the 1917 Russian Revolution. The original Propaganda set was designed by two sisters who worked in the factory. Natalya Danko formed the figures and Yelena Danko painted them. Five versions of this set have since been identified as of this writing, including this set, sets marked 1921, 1923, 1925, and unidentified set, and the limited-edition Israeli version.
This set is a solid casting, like the 1925 and Israeli sets, not hollow, like the other versions. The pieces are marked on their undersides with the Soviet hammer and sickle mark, adjacent stylized crown.
The chess set has two very distinct armies. On the Communist side, the King is a blacksmith holding a sledgehammer; the Queen, a peasant woman carrying sheaves of wheat adorned with stars; Bishops are Russian soldiers, Knights are horses, Rooks are horse-headed boats, and the Pawns are female reapers holding sickles and sheaves of wheat.
On the Capitalist side: the King is represented as Death adorned with armor wearing an ermine-line cloak, the Queen, an allegory of Fortuna, holds a cornucopia brimming with gold coins; Bishops are officers of the Old Regime, Knights are horses, Rooks are boats with Pawns being suppressed workers or slaves bound in chains.
A Bit of History.
Previously the Imperial Factory until the Revolution in 1917, the Lomonosov Porcelain Factory in St. Petersburg produced propaganda sets like this from 1922 onward. As the Bolsheviks took power of the country, they wanted to make porcelain affordable for the masses. Only the upper-class were able to buy such luxuries before. The new designs also represented the communist agenda and were a form of propaganda. The Post Revolution factory produced porcelain with a propagandist slant and are often associated with Sergei Chekhonin, the factory Director of Artistic Production. Highly sought-after propagandist items like the busts of Engles and Marx and the figure of the ‘Red Army Soldier’ were soon followed by a series of small sculptures promoting the differences in ideologies. The offered set, designed by the sculptress Natalia Danko, circa 1922, reflect this popular propagandist sentiment which favored the Soviets. The Imperial Porcelain Factory has reissued several items designed by prominent Russian artists from the 1920s, inspired by the avant-garde. The largest and most expensive item in the new porcelain collection is the “Red and White” chess set.
Many thanks to Frank Camaratta for the description.
Circus by Oleg Raikis, 2010
Chess set Circus 2010 by Oleg Raikis. Mammoth ivory, natural color of ivory are white and brown, Combined technique. King 11cm.
The Chess pieces are hand carved and signed “Raikis” by crafted by renowned Mammoth artist and sculptor Oleg Raikis. Raikis’ chess carvings are internationally recognized and are highly prized and sought-after by chess collectors Worldwide.
The Mammoth byproducts are excavated from the permafrost of the Siberian tundra, which the woolly mammoth inhabited for more than 160,000 years. During the last ice age, the mammoth went extinct as the direct result of rapidly plummeting temperatures. The dry, cold environment of Siberia combined with the massive sheets of ice from the ice age created the ideal environment for the preservation of Mammoth byproducts. The woolly Mammoths have been entombed under the Siberian permafrost ever since, waiting to be unearthed.
For more than 2,000 years, Mammoth tusks have been traded and remain a highly prized commodity across the world. While that demand for the Mammoth byproducts has always been higher than its supply, it began its steep rise when the international ivory ban was enacted. This agreement banned all sales of new Elephant or Walrus Ivory, in an effort to protect the animals from extinction. As a result, Mammoth became the only type of animal-based ivory that is exempt from the international trade restrictions. Over the past few years, the price of Mammoth tusks have more than tripled, due largely to the unprecedented demand for luxury goods from such emerging countries as India and China. This trend is expected to continue. Less than one percent of the Mammoth byproducts harvested are of suitable quality for the manufacturing of Chess pieces, thus adding the production costs and long-term value.
The Chess pieces are hand carved and signed “Raikis” by crafted by renowned Mammoth artist and sculptor Oleg Raikis. Raikis’ chess carvings are internationally recognized and are highly prized and sought-after by chess collectors Worldwide.
The Mammoth byproducts are excavated from the permafrost of the Siberian tundra, which the woolly mammoth inhabited for more than 160,000 years. During the last ice age, the mammoth went extinct as the direct result of rapidly plummeting temperatures. The dry, cold environment of Siberia combined with the massive sheets of ice from the ice age created the ideal environment for the preservation of Mammoth byproducts. The woolly Mammoths have been entombed under the Siberian permafrost ever since, waiting to be unearthed.
For more than 2,000 years, Mammoth tusks have been traded and remain a highly prized commodity across the world. While that demand for the Mammoth byproducts has always been higher than its supply, it began its steep rise when the international ivory ban was enacted. This agreement banned all sales of new Elephant or Walrus Ivory, in an effort to protect the animals from extinction. As a result, Mammoth became the only type of animal-based ivory that is exempt from the international trade restrictions. Over the past few years, the price of Mammoth tusks have more than tripled, due largely to the unprecedented demand for luxury goods from such emerging countries as India and China. This trend is expected to continue. Less than one percent of the Mammoth byproducts harvested are of suitable quality for the manufacturing of Chess pieces, thus adding the production costs and long-term value.
The Battle of Poltava by Григорий Пашков, circa 2000
This porcelain set represents The Battle of Poltava (1709) that was the decisive victory of Peter I of Russia, also known as "the Great," over the Swedish forces under Field Marshal Carl Gustav Rehnskiöld, in one of the battles of the Great Northern War.
It is widely believed by historians to have been the beginning of the Swedish Empire's decline as a European great power, while the Tsardom of Russia took its place as the leading nation of north-eastern Europe. The battle also bears major importance in Ukrainian national history, as Hetman of Zaporizhian Host Ivan Mazepa sided with the Swedes, seeking to create an uprising in Ukraine against the tsardom.
The Russian army:
The King is Peter the Great, the Queen is Catherine I, the bishops are Generalissimo Menshikov and Russian Admiral Apraksin.
The Swedish Army:
The King is Carl XII, the Queen is Princess Sofia, the bishops are Hetman of Zaporizhian Host Mazepa and Russian Tsarevich Alexei.
This masterpiece was created by Belarus sculptor Gregory Pashkov http://exclusivechess.by/ in a limited quantity of less than 40 sets. King is 18cm.
It is widely believed by historians to have been the beginning of the Swedish Empire's decline as a European great power, while the Tsardom of Russia took its place as the leading nation of north-eastern Europe. The battle also bears major importance in Ukrainian national history, as Hetman of Zaporizhian Host Ivan Mazepa sided with the Swedes, seeking to create an uprising in Ukraine against the tsardom.
The Russian army:
The King is Peter the Great, the Queen is Catherine I, the bishops are Generalissimo Menshikov and Russian Admiral Apraksin.
The Swedish Army:
The King is Carl XII, the Queen is Princess Sofia, the bishops are Hetman of Zaporizhian Host Mazepa and Russian Tsarevich Alexei.
This masterpiece was created by Belarus sculptor Gregory Pashkov http://exclusivechess.by/ in a limited quantity of less than 40 sets. King is 18cm.
Russian Bread Set
Hand Made Russian War of 1812 Set (wood, bread set soft center)
Old Bailey by Harry Everington, 1988
The "Old Bailey" chess set was made by Harry Everington in 1988. Only three of these sets were ever made. Tony Raynes bought the model set from Harry Everington directly and tracked two of these sets down in the US, which he subsequently acquired. I was fortunate to be able to buy one of those sets from Tony's estate.
The set represents court characters. The judge is the king in this set. The Lady Justice is the Queen. The pawns are the jurors. The knights are the lawyers.
The height of largest piece 18.5cm. Photos don't really do it justice.
The set represents court characters. The judge is the king in this set. The Lady Justice is the Queen. The pawns are the jurors. The knights are the lawyers.
The height of largest piece 18.5cm. Photos don't really do it justice.
Large Finely Carved Bear Wolf Chess Set
All pieces modeled as bears and wolves on rock plints. Kings 13.5cms
Note the high quality carving, all pieces in unique poses, one off commissioned set by exceptional carver taking over six months to create.
Note the high quality carving, all pieces in unique poses, one off commissioned set by exceptional carver taking over six months to create.
Inuit Elk horn
Here is another unusual and unique set from Ciaran Rochford collection.
This is Inuit Elk horn Chess Set, king 9cm.
This is Inuit Elk horn Chess Set, king 9cm.
The Ancients - Kislovodsk, circa 2010
“The Ancients” set. The white side represents the European/Russian culture, the dark side represents the Asian culture.
This specific model/design was produced in a single copy by Porcelain factory in Kislovodsk, Russia. Hand made and hand painted, king is 15 cm. The level of the details is absolutely incredible.
This specific model/design was produced in a single copy by Porcelain factory in Kislovodsk, Russia. Hand made and hand painted, king is 15 cm. The level of the details is absolutely incredible.
French vs. Turks, circa 2020
The theme of the set is the French vs the Turks/Ottoman empire battle, around 1800.
The rooks are elephants with towers on top, dark Turkish bishops as advisors hold scales and book, white bishops are finely modeled jesters, each pawn is unique, and all pieces carved by hand from one block of wood.
French pieces represented by the white side. White side king and queen are Napoleon and Josephine.
Each piece is unique. King is 14.5 cm tall.
Light side carved out of spalted wood, which creates a unique marbleized effect.
The rooks are elephants with towers on top, dark Turkish bishops as advisors hold scales and book, white bishops are finely modeled jesters, each pawn is unique, and all pieces carved by hand from one block of wood.
French pieces represented by the white side. White side king and queen are Napoleon and Josephine.
Each piece is unique. King is 14.5 cm tall.
Light side carved out of spalted wood, which creates a unique marbleized effect.
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