A Rare Part "Garden" Chess Set of Large Size, 19th Century
the turned beechwood chessmen of solid weight, 'ebonised' and left natural, in the 'Old English Pattern', kings with Maltese Crosses, queens with spiked crowns, bishops as tulip shaped mitres, knights as carved horses' heads, rooks as monobloc turrets with carved brickwork, pawns with baluster knops and ball finials, some bases inscribed '1855' in pencil (presumably either a date or inventory number), thirteen white chessmen, thirteen 'ebonised' chessmen (26).
King: 33.5cm high, 9cm diameter
Queen: 30cm high, 9cm diameter
Rook: 21cm high, 9.5cm diameter
Pawn: 16cm high, 7cm diameter
Provenance: Woburn Abbey, Bedfordshire, Christie's "Property from Two Ducal Collections, Woburn Abbey, Bedford", 20-21st September 2004, Lot 246.
