A Rare Chinese Export Ivory Figural ‘Bust’ Chess set, Macao, circa 1820
one side stained red, the other side left natural, the Chinese versus the British, white king as the Duke of Wellington, red king as the Chinese Emperor, white queen as the Duchess of Wellington, red queen as the Chinese Empress, white bishops as Christian clerics wearing bishop’s mitres, red bishops as Chinese mandarins, knights wearing unusual pointed caps surmounted with animal or horses’ heads, rooks as raised turrets, pawns as foot-soldiers.
King: 9cm high
Pawn: 4.6cm high
Stock Reference: MT 1816
Provenance: Michael Mark Chess Collection.
Exhibited: Asprey, May 12-24th 1986
Literature: Illustrated in Michael Mark, Chessmen Practical and Ornamental, a catalogue of the chess sets exhibited by Asprey and Chess Collectors International, May 12-24, 1986, figure 49. Also illustrated in Raymond Keene, Chess an Illustrated History, Simon & Schuster, 1990, p.53.
Important Notice on the Export of Antique Elephant Ivory (CITES)
Please note that as the chess set contains antique elephant ivory it will require a CITES export licence to export to destinations outside the European Union. Due to recent US legislation, it is with regret that we are unable to export this item to the United States of America. Please contact me if you need further information
