English
Traveling Chess Set, 19th century
Wood with inlay and brass hinges; bone chessmen , 17.5 x 9.2 x 3.7 cm (6 7/8 x 3 5/8 x 1 7/16 in.)
Thick, rimmed, square chess board with a yellow, black, yellow border. The middle of the board has an 8x8 alternating black and stained light brown square pattern. Each square has a small hole to hold the chess pieces in place when played during travel. There are two rows on each end of the board holding 16 chess pieces. On the left side the pieces are ivory in color and the right side are red. There are brass hinges on two opposite sides of the board, so that it can close in on itself.
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Object details
Accession number
U11n41
Primary Creator
English
Full title
Traveling Chess Set
Creation Date
19th century
Provenance
Entered Isabella Stewart Gardner's collection at an unknown date.
Dimensions
17.5 x 9.2 x 3.7 cm (6 7/8 x 3 5/8 x 1 7/16 in.)
Display Media
Wood with inlay and brass hinges; bone chessmen
Web Commentary
The design of this folding game board is both clean and highly functional. When open, the board provides a relatively large area on which to play chess; peg holes keep each piece in place. When folded, the board becomes a perfect, easily transported rectangular box. This traveling chess set is made of wood with inlays, while the pieces are carved bone. The red and white pieces are an example of the St. George style, a chess set style popular in England before the black-and-white Staunton chess set became the standard style in 1849.
Permanent Gallery Location
Macknight Room
Rights and reproductions
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Macknight Room
Commentary
The design of this folding game board is both clean and highly functional. When open, the board provides a relatively large area on which to play chess; peg holes keep each piece in place. When folded, the board becomes a perfect, easily transported rectangular box. This traveling chess set is made of wood with inlays, while the pieces are carved bone. The red and white pieces are an example of the St. George style, a chess set style popular in England before the black-and-white Staunton chess set became the standard style in 1849.