Chess Set  

There are several documented sources indicating that chess originated in the sixth century in India, whence it spread via the Mediterranean region to the West. Here, this minimalist yet endlessly complex board game soon became immensely popular and, by 1713, the then only recently established Meissen manufactory had already begun modelling chess pieces for a court society in Europe that had taken to playing games of this kind with great gusto.

The artists Maria Walther and Maximilian Hagstotz took their bearings from modern-day demands made of the game when designing this re-edition, which explains why the individual pieces in particular differ so markedly from the lavishly whimsical renditions that had previously been championed at MEISSEN. Pieces in dark matt Böttger Stoneware - the very first material perfected at MEISSEN - are pitted against opponents in gleaming white porcelain in a way that marries the manufactory's dawning to its entire history thereafter. Low-key gilded decoration underscores the pieces' formal clarity and interacts organically with the gilt-brass surround to the board's case. One lesser but very exquisite detail: each piece is adorned with the Crossed Swords in moulded relief.

The 2024 Edition is the first for which a complete case has been produced in dark-stained oak, and lined with a soft inlay of dark-blue alcantara, in which the pieces can be stored when not in use. The tiles in porcelain and Böttger Stoneware have been meticulously cut to size and jointlessly fitted into the case by hand. The upshot amounts to a decorative item of supreme porcelain art and outstanding cabinet-making that is certain to bring joy to lovers of chess and others besides.