A century of chess mastery comes to auction in Monaco
Ninety chess sets spanning from the seventeenth century to the present day will be offered at HVM Cauction this November, each a refined testament to the enduring artistry of the game.
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A collection of ninety chess sets will cross the block at HVM Cauction on November 17th, each piece a distillation of centuries of craftsmanship and aesthetic refinement. From the seventeenth century through to contemporary works, the sale encompasses the full arc of how artists and makers have interpreted the game, translating strategy into wood, ivory, stone and bronze.
The sets reveal chess not merely as pastime but as a canvas for artistry. Carved wooden pieces display the hand of master craftsmen, their fingers having shaped each knight’s arch, each king’s crown with deliberate grace. Earlier examples speak of the game’s place in royal courts and merchant houses, their materials and decoration a mirror of their era’s taste. Later sets embrace modernism and abstraction, their forms simplified yet no less eloquent.
Among the collection are sets in bone and ebony, works in painted composition, and pieces whose sculptural ambition transforms the familiar silhouettes of king, queen, knight and pawn into figures of genuine consequence. A Napoleonic set carved in ivory captures the emperor himself at chess, whilst sets of Asian provenance bring the game’s global reach into focus. Each tells a story of its maker’s moment and sensibility.
Patrice Plain, a collector and historian of chess sets and president of Chess Collectors International in France, has lent his expertise to the sale. His knowledge shapes the understanding of each lot, contextualising the pieces within the broader landscape of the game’s material culture.
The collection will be visible in person at 10 12 quai Antoine Ier in Monaco, and online through Drouot Paris, Interenchères and Invaluable. The auction takes place on Tuesday, November 17th at half past two in the afternoon. Enquiries should be directed to amournet@hvmc.com or +377 93 25 88 89.
Imagery courtesy of HVM Cauction (@hvmcauction).
