New York Times: Games -- Chess

A lovely little fluff piece in the "Home and Garden" section of The New York Times.  Sigh.

Shopping With Libby Sellers

It's All Fun and Games

By RIMA SUQI
Published: June 13, 2012

Democratic Chess by Florian Hauswirth; about $490, florianhauswirth.ch.

AMONG those gathered in Switzerland this week for the annual Design Miami/Basel design fair is Libby Sellers, a gallerist from London presenting “Games,” a group show with a chess theme.

The exhibit, which includes pieces by industrial, furniture and graphic designers, was inspired by a 1944 show at the Julien Levy Gallery in New York that featured chess sets by Man Ray, Isamu Noguchi and other artists. (It can also be seen at Gallery Libby Sellers in London in July and August: it’s her “contribution to the Olympics,” she said.)

Ms. Sellers, 39, who was in New York City this spring for the Frieze Art Fair, took time out to shop for other interesting examples of games (board and otherwise) by design types.

She began at the shop at Phillips de Pury & Company on Park Avenue, which carries Tauba Auerbach’s One Deck of Cards: Shapes, a set of playing cards she had seen in London. “I have always been aware of her work,” Ms. Sellers said. “And I find the idea of using letters and forms of letters and words on the page to create two-dimensional sculpture really interesting.”

A surprise find at the same shop was a set of wood-inlaid table-tennis paddles, called Urban Picnic: Paddle, by Gareth Neal.

“I’m sure a paddle isn’t the first thing a designer thinks of creating,” she said. “Usually they go for a table, chair or shelving unit. The fact he’s applying his veneer treatments to objects that are about handling and play shows that there’s a lighter side to design — it doesn’t have to be all serious.”

Chess set by Lanier Graham; $65 at MoMa Design Store; (800) 851-4509, momastore.org.

At the MoMA Design Store, she turned up a chess set designed in 1966 by Lanier Graham, a nice example of “abstracting traditional chess forms,” she said. “If you took the pieces off the board, you wouldn’t necessarily identify them as chess pieces: it’s not a king or a queen, it’s just an object with a point.”

She also loved Frank Gehry’s brand-new, special-order-only chess set, on display at Tiffany & Company on Fifth Avenue.

“What super-surreal architectural forms,” she enthused. “It’s really indulgent, really fantastic.”

But what about that $25,000 price tag?

“Well,” she said, “that’s less than one of his buildings.”

A version of this article appeared in print on June 14, 2012, on page D6 of the New York edition with the headline: It’s All Fun and Games.

The Next Chess Collectible?

Now that's a bright idea: The Montana retiree who is making chess sets using discarded spark-plugs

By Daily Mail Reporter
PUBLISHED: 01:01 EST, 13 June 2012 | UPDATED: 01:01 EST, 13 June 2012

Photo by Eliza Wiley, Independent Record

Kenneth Marx's bright idea to turn recycled spark-plugs into chess sets is finally paying off.

After having the light-bulb moment while working at a gas station four decades ago, the retiree from Helena, Montana, has decided to turn creating the unique sets into a business, and he's commanding $275 for each creation.
Mr Marx collected the spark-plugs, chucked out after tune ups, and began manufacturing a few chess boards for friends, according to the Helena Independent Record.  'I thought that there’s got to be something we can do with these instead of just throwing them away,' he told the newspaper.
But then life got in the way and he ditched the hobby.  Decades later and with a bit more time up his sleeves, Mr Marx has rekindled his passion for the spark-plug chess sets and now runs a business making them from his home.  He has transformed his garage into a production line for creating the pieces and dedicated a special spot in his basement to painting them.
In the past year, he's made 23 sets. I’m just getting started,' he said. 'I’m basically doing a lot of baby steps.'
About once a month, Mr Marx tours his local repair shops, which put the used spark-plugs aside, waiting for his visit.  When home, he sorts the spark-plugs by size and manufacturer and cleans them by soaking them in solution.  After choosing the ones in the best shape, he grinds the bottoms and affixes a nut to make them stable.
He also saws off the tops of the plugs and then puts a cap on each, determining the type of chess piece. For example, the king’s topper is an inverted tire stem, according to the newspaper.  He also uses valve covers and other auto parts.
The process is very labor-intensive, with each set taking about 20 hours of Mr Marx's time, not including drying time between steps.
The retiree also makes custom wooden boxes for each set.  'Even at mass production, I am making 52 a year,' he said.
Each set is custom made. The purchaser can choose colors and even brands of spark-plugs. Some have made rival sides such as American manufacturers versus German, he told the Helena IR.
Mr Marx is in the process of securing a patent for his spark-plug chess boards, which he sells his boards for $275 from his website www.chesscreations.com and also out of his home at 303 N. Hoback St.

A few of the employees at the repair shops that donate their old spark-plugs have snapped up sets, Mr Marx said, adding that they appeal to both chess players and car fanatics.  'It’s a very small step in recycling,' he said.
Given the time taken to create each set, Mr Marx is realistic about the money he'll make from his business but he enjoys the creative side.  'I don’t plan on making a fortune on this,' he told the newspaper.

Some Lovely Chess Sets

As the "go to" person on our email accounts, I gets tons of solicitations from all over the place and I ignore most of them.

But I have to say that this person/company's chess sets are very nice. Unfortunately, this is the only link that came in the email, and it does not lead to a website, only to a photo gallery of some of the items he or his company manufactures or offers for sale.  Most of the photographs that were sent to me were not included at this "address" -- http://cid-506405e1a1f615de.skydrive.live.com/self.aspx/Manoj%20Colection/DSCN2948.jpg  I am publishing a few here.

 
I am particularly fond of the sets where the rook is an elephant's head.  This could represent the howda on the back of an elephant, which was used as a rook in many many Indian sets meant for export to the West over the past couple of hundred years and counting, or perhaps it harks back to the time when the elephant actually was in the rook's position on the board in India, and later switched places with the rook, so that people began to associate the position of the elephant with our western bishop.  I don't know when the switch took place or why it happened, but I do recall reading about it in The Oxford Encyclopedia of Chess of which respected chess historian and writer Ken Whyld was a co-editor, so I figure the information is correct :)  Goddess rest Ken's soul.

A Fun Chess Set

Chess Board and set, designed by Mellington Cartwright in alliance with Tim Yates. Born out of the desire for stability and for the travel freaks, this chess board harmonizes balance between stability and instability. Standing 2 ft. by 2 ft at 6 inches tall, the board is made from over 100 hand-cut, hand-measured, rivets and washers and 15 different Tetris-like shapes of commercial bronze. One-of-its-kind piece, the innovative design stands for a price of $6,500.

Chess Collecting

It's easier than you might think to become a collector. In my house, I have the following chess sets: (1) a magnetized plastic mini-travel set; (2) an alabaster lathe-turned set and board; (3) a mahogony inlaid board and replica Lewis chess set; and (4) a carved wood set that rests inside a folding board. The style is what I would call "modern" and they are very tactile - I love playing chess with those pieces! I wasn't even trying to "collect" sets, LOL! The (1) set was received as a promotional gift back in 1999 when I joined the USCF. The (2) set was purchased on a whim one Christmas season when one of those temporary stores opened up in the mall downtown and I walked past it one day during lunch hour. I don't remember the exact price, but it was under $40. That sucker was heavy and it took me and a friend to lug it from the store back to the office, and from the office to her car after work! What a work-out! That was perhaps 6-7 years ago. As it sits in the family room off of the kitchen at the back of the house (a popular space), I've played a lot of games with that set. The (3) set was a gift I received in September, 2002 from a colleague on the occasion of both of our leaving a firm we'd worked together at for over 12 years. The (4) set was purchased in 2001 on a whim at Napoleon's, a store that carried all kinds of chess stuff (unfortunately, Napoleon's went out of business a couple of years later). I paid $80 for the set, the most money I've forked out for a set! I used to have a basic 12-inch wood board with the squares painted on, with machined but serviceable pieces that was purchased at a Kay-Bee Toy Store in 1999, but it was donated to a charity years ago. One wouldn't ordinarily think that this would be a contribution that would end up anywhere else than in the garbage can - but you would be surprised! Chess sets are regularly requested items at Christmas. My employer participates in a program - you've probably heard of or participated in something similar yourself - where a local organization aiding the disadvantaged is sponsored. Tags with requested gifts (priced $20 USD or less) are hung on a Christmas tree and you can pick a tag. You purchase the gift, wrap it, and put it under the tree. Prior to Christmas all of the donated gifts are delivered to the local charity and handed out to the recipients. I can always find a tag where a chess set is requested. (I have used the online shop that benefits the Susan Polgar Foundation, Inc. to purchase sturdy tournament-quality plastic sets and vinyl roll-up boards). I can see where the process of acquiring chess sets can become quite addicting! There are such gorgeous sets out there, each one more beautiful, or unique, or ugly or - whatever - than the next. The key to collecting, as it is to many other endeavors, is knowledge - and staying away from e-bay :) To acquire knowledge, hang around with people who have it, such as the folks who are members of Chess Collectors International. CCI puts out a quarterly newsletter that features articles on collecting and photographs of sets and other information, and holds a couple gatherings a year in different places all over the world. Read books on collecting and chess sets. Visit exhibits if you can. A lot of information is now available online (thank Goddess for the internet). I recommend you buy what "speaks" to you. My feeling is that if you buy what you like, you won't go wrong. That is the opposite, of course, of collectors who buy with an eye toward investing in something they hope will appreciate in value over time. Then, provenance, design, uniqueness of materials, rarity, etc. become important. So, you'll have to decide what kind of collector you'll be - and what your budget allows. One does not have to be a millionaire though, in order to start a collection of chess sets - as you can I've become something of an accidental "collector" myself and my family thinks I'm nuts! (Probably am...) Visit the online sites of Christie's and Sotheby's auction houses, for instance, do a search for "chess" and you'll see what I mean. Sets can be purchased at auction for under $100 USD, and many antique sets for between $100-200 USD. The sets that are pictured in this blog post are from auctions that Christie's held. Bonham's and other regional auction houses also regularly feature chess sets in their auctions. I sometimes visit the websites of my favorite auction houses and check out what they have coming up for sale or what recently sold. Sometimes I dig further back into the archives of past sales. Here are just a few from a sale at Christies.com that tickled my fancy: Sale 5198 furniture, carpets & decorative objects 30 October 2007 London, South Kensington Price Realized £75 ($154) Price includes buyer's premium (Three sets for the price of one!) A MEXICAN OBSIDIAN AND GLASS 'AZTEC' STYLE CHESS SET 20TH CENTURY With white and black marble inlaid board The king -- 4in. (10cm.) high; the pawn -- 2in. (5cm.) high; the board -- 13½in. (34.2cm.) wideTogether with a Mexican bone mounted lacquered wood chess set, second half 20th century; the king -- 5¼in. (13.3cm.) high; the pawn -- 3in. (7.5cm.) high; and a softwood and black lacquered wood 'Staunton' pattern chess set, second half 20th century, with painted finials; the king -- 4¼in. (10.8cm.) high; the pawn -- 2¼in. (5.7cm.) high (4) 30 October 2007 London, South Kensington Price realized £63 ($129) Price includes buyer's premium AN ENGLISH BONE 'OLD ENGLISH' PATTERN CHESS SET 19TH CENTURY The king -- 5½in. (14cm.) high; the pawn -- 1 7/8in. (4.8cm.) high Together with an English bone 'old English' pattern chess set, 19th century; the king -- 2¼in. (5.7cm.) high; the pawn -- 1 1/8in. (2.8cm.) high (2)

Sophie Matisse Limited Edition Chess Sets

Sophie Matisse Paints Limited Edition Chess Sets for the Beyond the Border International Contemporary Art Fair Beyond the Border International Contemporary Art Fair announces “The Art of the Game” exhibition by Sophie Matisse, great-granddaughter to famous painter Henri Matisse. San Diego, CA July 01, 2009 -- Beyond the Border International Contemporary Art Fair (BTB) announces “The Art of the Game” exhibition by Sophie Matisse, great-granddaughter to famous painter Henri Matisse. This exhibition will feature five uniquely painted chess sets, each featuring a distinctive design and edition number. Each chess set can be purchased for $16,000 at The Beyond the Border International Contemporary Art Fair, San Diego, scheduled for September 2-4, 2009 at The Grand Del Mar. “We are honored to have Sophie Matisse’s exquisite exhibition on display at our fair,” said Ann Berchtold, executive director and founder of BTB. “The four chess sets have their own unique imagery but also come together to create a unique design. Chess had been an important family tradition to Sophie growing up and this body of work became a tribute to that memory for her.” Sophie Matisse was born in 1965 in Boston. She is daughter to famous sculptor Paul Matisse, granddaughter to famous art dealer Pierre Matisse and great-granddaughter to Henri Matisse, French painter and godchild to Marcel Duchamp.Like her great-grandfather Henri Matisse, she embraces the decorative potential of her pictures. Like her step-grandfather Marcel Duchamp, she rejects the notion that decoration is all they need to offer. Indeed, if she dreams of anything, it is to reconcile the two statements presented above into a singular, harmonious visual entity—a work of art that not only pleases our senses, but that also challenges our intellect. She studied at College of Art in Boston, Massachusetts, and at École des Beaux-Arts in 1990 in Paris. Some of her extraordinary works are "Lions Den" from 2005, "Queen Easter" 2005 as well as "The 100 Smiles of the Mona Lisa" from 2000, "Real to Surreal" from 1999. Sophie Matisse is represented by Francis Nauman Fine Art in New York. Lugano Diamonds is proud to be a main sponsor of the Exhibition “The Art of the Game” by Sophie Matisse. San Diego’s first Beyond the Border International Contemporary Art Fair (BTB) is a 3-day contemporary art fair that will include national and international galleries featuring over 500 works by jury-selected established and emerging contemporary artists from all over the world, exhibiting in The Grand Del Mar’s expansive ballroom accompanied by numerous luxury exhibitors and food and wine events. The event will showcase over $4 million in artwork coupled with sponsors such as Maserati, Modern Luxury Media, Qualcomm, Christie’s, The American Institute of Wine and Food, The California Bipolar Foundation, Lugano Diamonds, and many others. BTB anticipates ATTENDANCE OF over 3,000 new and established collectors over the three days. The public is invited to attend the event, which marks the first time these national and international galleries with investment-grade art will be presented in San Diego. Go to the BTB website to purchase VIP Tickets and Day Pass tickets: http://beyondtheborder-art/.

Ancient Chess - The Website

Hola darlings!

Well, I'm very disappointed this evening. I had $20 worth of "Kohls Cash" which I thought expired tomorrow, plus a $10 Kohls gift card sent to me in the mail (for being a valued customer? Yeah, right...) which became effective today. So, I determined to trek down to Southridge Mall after work tonight and shop for a new pair of shoes for the upcoming New York trip.

Arggghhhh! As the bus headed southwest from downtown, I thought "you'd better check the dates on your Kohls cash again, just to be sure. Well, I'm glad I checked because it sure would have been embarrassing to arrive at the checkout counter only to discover that my Kohls cash expired YESTERDAY. Damn! A free $20 down the drain.

I weighed my options - continue my journey, now armed only with $10 of free money, and pay the rest in cash (I'm off credit cards these days), or forget about it and save my hard-earned cash. I decided to save my hard-earned cash. Using $30 of free money toward the purchase of new shoes on sale is one thing; using $10 of free money is another thing.

But - no new shoes. Boo hoo hoo!

Anyway, earlier this evening I was paging through the April, 2009 edition of Chess Life magazine. I didn't find the contents particularly interesting this month, but perhaps you all thought otherwise. I did think that the three/quarter back cover ad - in beautiful color - for the International Chess Festival in Last Vegas, which also includes the Susan Polgar World Open Chess Championship for Girls and Boys and several other tournaments and special events was absolutely gorgeous! The hotel choice - off-strip. Not cool. I wonder what was the thinking of the organizers was behind that decision?

On page 70 are the Classifieds - two pages from the end of the magazine. I usually do not look at the classifieds. I do not have any idea why I decided to look at them today, but it was interesting! Who, for instance, is the "*Legendary Chess Instructor*" whose website address is printed so tiny I cannot read it even with my magnifying glasses on? And what do those asterisks before and after mean? Are they simply meant to be marks of emphasis? Or are they meant to designate some particularly large footnoted joke?

Then there was an ad for "Chess-Player Scholars" - offering university scholarships to certain qualifying chessplaying high school students. The university is the University of Maryland, Baltimore County - famous for its championship-calibre chess teams.

Then there was an ad for Ancient Chess.com. I said to myself, "Self, you must check this out," because anything with ancient and chess connected together are like an interesting scent to a bloodhound. Okay, not a particularly attractive analogy but heck, it fits. LOL! So, I visited the website. It's primarily a vehicle for selling chess sets on ebay, but I do have to say that I thought the section on "Chess History" was well done. I particularly enjoyed the detail the writer went into about some of the moves of particular pieces in chess as it was/is played in various countries around the world, including China, Cambodia, Thailand, Japan, Korea, etc. It was informative and entertaining without overwhelming one with too many technical details. Good job!

As for the merchandise - well, I'm not in the market and, not being a collector of sets, I only took a quick look at the offerings under a few categories. There are a few sets that are the several hundred dollar range, but also many sets that are more within the price range in which I would consider making a purchase.

In sum, I think the website is well put-together and worth a visit.

The Art of Chess

An exhibit at the Reykajavik Museum, January 24 - April 30, 2009 (Image: Alastair Mackie, Amorphous Organic, 2008) The Art of Chess 24. january – 13. april 2009 Kjarvalsstaðir. Fifteen unique chess sets and boards made by internationally renowned contemporary artists. Each chess set has its own concept reflecting the artists’ vivid imagination. Artists include Damien Hirst, Maurizio Cattelan, Rachel Whiteread and more. Curators: Mark Sanders, Julia Royse, and Larry List. Artists Article by Larry List EVENTS AND EDUCATION Saturday 24 January 4 pm Kjarvalsstadir – The Art of ChessOpening of the exhibition The Art of Chess and the familyworkshop Creative Move in the North Gallery. Guests can create their own chess sets throughout the exhibition's period. Sunday 25 January Kjarvalsstadir – The Art of Chess 2 pm Artists' Talk. Oliver Clegg, Paul Fryer and Alistair Mackie discuss their works on show. 3 pm Panel Discussion. Curators Mark Sanders and Larry List partake in panel discussions on chess and art along with the director of the Reykjavik Art Museum, Hafthór Yngvason. Sunday 8 February 3 pm Kjarvalsstadir – The Art of Chess Check Mate. Chess match with the chess sets on display Sunday 22 February 3 pm Kjarvalsstadir – The Art of Chess Scrutinizing Art. Discussions on the concept of aesthetics and what it has to do with chess. Sunday 29 March 3 pm Kjarvalsstadir – The Art of Chess Lecture of history of chess in collaboration with the Reykjavik Chess Academy and the Icelandic Chess Federation. Sunday 5 April 3 pm Kjarvalsstadir – The Art of Chess Check Mate. Chess match with the chess sets on display.

Buy Someone You Love - Chess! - for Christmas

I thought this was cute, even if it was put together by an antiques website :) Collectibles and Memorabilia Are Selling As Unique, Interesting, and Affordable Christmas Gifts December 1, 2008 With the ailing economy, shoppers are putting much more effort in finding gifts that are more meaningful but low in cost. Christmas gifts are often bought last minute and not a lot of thought is put into them and they are often forgotten once the holiday is over. This year, with the ailing economy, shoppers are putting more effort in finding gifts that are more meaningful but low in cost. While this is not the best news for most stores the antique and collectibles stores are in the exciting situation of being able to put a little spark back into Christmas by offering truly unique and cherished gift ideas. How much would a husband or wife, or even a son or daughter, love to get autographed photos from their favorite sports team, band, or actor? Autographed items range in price from $15.00 to $1000.00 and it is easy to find an autograph dealer who offers a lifetime guarantee and certificate of authenticity. Which is important for both the Christmas shopper and the collectibles shop owners since neither wants to worry about authenticity. Another idea is a die cast car, plane, or boat. Most are reasonably priced and there is an amazing range of choices. Everything from Model A Fords to the Space Shuttle has been die cast. So shoppers can easily find the right vehicle for their loved ones whether they are a pilot, police officer, fireman, garbage man, or car nut. Porcelain dolls are always a big seller during the holidays and this year they should not be overlooked since their price has dropped. Porcelain dolls now range in price from around $20.00 to $200.00 and can be found in a variety of era clothing and sizes. Quite often they come with their own storage case and stand which is nice for both store owners and shoppers alike. Figurines are also very popular and come in a nice range of materials from plastic polymers to porcelain. They make a great gift for men, women, and children since they are available in a variety. There are figures of superheroes, musicians, actors, animals, fantasy creatures, and even erotica so most collectibles stores won’t have a problem fitting them into their inventory and shoppers will be thrilled with the variety. Chess sets make an excellent Christmas gift. Chess sets vary in price as well as design. The very simple beginner set can be found around $20.00 while the more elaborate sets might be as much as $500.00. They style of the pieces are just as varied as they range from the traditional design to ancient Egyptian, African animals, soldiers from every period of time and fantasy or science fiction. The pieces can be made of inexpensive plastic to gold plate. Chess is a marvelous game, it can be both science and art, and should be instituted in schools and colleges throughout this country as it is in other countries. Since it not only did not hinder studies at school but can even helpful as it played a part in development habits of logical thought. It has even helped children with behavioral problems like ADHD, Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, to improve their study and social skills. While most Christmas gifts get forgotten antiques, collectibles, and memorabilia may very well change that. Collectibles and memorabilia not only make great gifts but also can become family heirlooms, which is a very nice gift for storeowners and shoppers alike.