Posted 11 years ago
wacobred
(1 item)
Wooden folding chess set with two chairs and chess table. it has metal pieces that seem like brass, but not quite brass. the chairs have lion heads at the ends of the arms and lions paws on the feet.
bought this set at an auction and was told it was bought i italy in the 1970's. anybody know anything about it? | ||
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My mother has this same chess set but with a marble chess board. Ours was made in West Germany in 1979. It's German wood work you possess. =)
stunning:)
The holes in the lions mouths are for brass rings of thick gauge. I'll try to post a picture of her's!
I stand corrected. My mother told me she purchased her's in an Italian Store in Bitburg, Germany 1978 Brand New for $150.
The chair shape is known as a Savanarola chair.
Check out "Savanarola Chess Table & Chairs."
X chairs, so named for their crossed legs, appeared some 4,000 years ago in Egypt and folding versions were used throughout the Roman Empire. In the middle ages when X chairs were used by kings and high ranking church officials, the X structure became a symbol of authority. During the Renaissance, particularly in Italy and southern France, X chairs were updated for use in homes.
The Savonarola chair, named for a 15th-century Dominican cleric, is distinctive for the elaborate curve of the X, which gives the illusion that each side is made from a single piece. It was a staple of design in mid-16th-century France and enjoyed popularity again during the 19th and early 20th century revival of gothic and Renaissance designs. While perhaps appearing delicate, these chairs are not only sturdy but comfortable owing to their proven design and their construction from solid wood.
http://bresciawoodworks.weebly.com/savonarola-chair-history.html
Girolamo Savanarola was a very interesting Florentine character!
His portrait by Fra Bartolomeo c. 1498 is haunting.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Girolamo_Savonarola
Came to a very nasty end.
The chair is sometimes called a Dante chair too.
Another important story.
Would love to know what you paid for it. I have he same set just different board and pieces.
Hello, I saw. This article about the chess set and in looking at the pictures I made be able to solve the mystery. It looks just like the chess set my dad bought when we were stationed in Augsburg Germany in 1978 or 1979. The chess board itself had leather wrapping around on it and the pieces are kind of heavy. Would love to talk further about it as it is a childhood memory.
Feel free to contact me.