The Ivory Chess Set saga

[John Upham]

Whilst perusing the Cleveland Chess Association web site (as one does!) I came across a story that might be of interest to the ECF (the EC Forum).

Here it is : http://www.clevelandchessassociation.or ... _brief.htm

Enjoy!

[David Robertson]

Even the report included above is a diluted version of one I remember reading with amusement at the time: namely, that the chess trophy in question was not merely not in a bank vault as had been repeatedly stated to Cleveland members by a certain person, but was lying uninsured in that certain person's back parlour

Alas for that certain person, Sergeant Plod was on the case: the case of Ernie & Ivory

David

[John Saunders]

And if anyone was thinking of flogging it on Ebay, they had better read this...

http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5i7D ... DhBYTKtVQQ

[David Robertson]

I think I've found a post-retirement future for you, Ernie, now that you're back up and fighting fit.

Have you ever thought of establishing a consultancy or similar business, offering your services to chess associations for the recovery of lost assets and the eradication of dead wood from official positions? We could certainly use such a service in the MCA. One of our trophies has disappeared, possibly two; and the Executive Committee has long needed a good dyno-rodding. You sound just the bloke we need. I'm sure there are countless associations in a similar position.

All we need now is a snappy name for your company, and a slogan. The logo can be a pair of handcuffs.

David

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Reviving this thread 7 years later...

[Cleveland County Association] It's not even that it needs the money, with around £ 15,000 in the bank from the sale of an historic chess set given to their predecessors in the Nineteenth century.

Ooh, that sounds interesting (more interesting than membership discussions). Any details? When was the sale?

Ah, here we go:

http://www.clevelandchessassociation.or ... _brief.htm

That is up to 2006.

http://clevelandchessassociation.org.uk/news/07a.htm

That is 2007.

http://www.clevelandchessassociation.or ... et1886.htm

That's the final bit of information. I wonder whether the collector still has it?

Can anyone find it here?

http://crumiller.com/chess/chess_pages/jonchess.htm

[Roger de Coverly]

Can anyone find it here?

http://crumiller.com/chess/chess_pages/jonchess.htm

The original picture has it in white and red and of an everyday style that you could imagine actually using in a serious game.

So I think it must be this one

http://crumiller.com/chess/chess_pages/ ... orySet.htm

The saga of that set ran on for years, one of the issues that persuaded them to sell was the prospect of a ban of the sale of ivory, even when over a hundred years old.

This is mentioned on the collector's website

Recently enacted U.S. Administrative Regulations on the acquisition of antique ivory have made it impossible to continue acquiring antique chess sets, boards, and other items for my collection.

[Kevin Thurlow]

I'm delighted it found a good home. The Civil Service Chess Association and Civil Service League has had at least two ivory sets and various trophies stol..., er, mislaid over the years.

[MJMcCready]

I think we've had our fair share of trophy sagas, the Stevenson Memorial Trophy is one that springs to mind, I can think of others that have had a somewhat checkered past. The Fleming Trophy was originally ivory I believe.

[Dan Lambourne]

The correct link is this one:-
http://crumiller.com/chess/chess_pages/ ... 5thSet.htm

It gives it away as the title of the page is "The Tees Side Chess Association Staunton Chess Set - Jaques ivory club-size set in fitted box, circa 1885"

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Thanks, Dan.

The photo album here is a nice touch:

https://picasaweb.google.com/1029309257 ... deChessSet

I suppose if you spend £15,000 on a chess set, you do want to get your money's worth. The system of pegs on the side of the board to indicate wins in a series of games in a match is something I've not seen before.

Which game is being played out here?

https://picasaweb.google.com/1029309257 ... 3124971394

[Roger de Coverly]

I suppose if you spend £15,000 on a chess set, you do want to get your money's worth.

I noticed that one of the Cleveland links recorded the debates about how much the set was worth. It seems clear enough from the price that it eventually realised that it had a much greater value than a plain equivalent from the same era, because of its past use as a trophy.

As an observation, I might suspect the same could apply to items in the ECF library, that if they have an association with a famous player or historic organisation, they may have a higher value than the equivalent with no such association.