Stabulum Victores (‘Champions of the Dorm’); Soviet ‘Averbakh Style’ Egg-Bishop Chess set, c.1950s

Champions of the Dorm (‘Stabulum Victores’); 32 vintage chess pieces with original folding board (stamped), Soviet (Artel MYUD, Khalturin), medium-sized, caramel vs. black, birch wood, unweighted, partially restored, original board dated 1956.

 

Dimensions:

Height: King; 8.5cm, weight 8g, base width 3cm

Queen 6.8cm, wt. 8g

Bishop 6.3cm 7g

Knight 5.7cm 11g

Rook 4.6cm 6g

Pawns 4.2cm 4g.

W: original pink cloth pads; B: same

 

Board dimensions:

30cm x 15cm x 5.5cm

Squares: 3.5cm. The board is in great condition with original hinges and single clasp. On the inside is an inscription in blue ink and coloured crayon; “to the champion of the plant hostel named in honour of Kaganovich, 1957”. The stamp indicates the set was manufactured by Artel MYUD (International Youth Day), Khalturin, Kharkiv in 1956.

 

A larger version of this set recently passed through our galleries (‘Ova et Spiculum’ or Egg & Dart) that the knowledgeable St. Petersburg-based collector, John Moyes, regards as “one of the finest Soviet designs ever made” – and here we offer the medium-sized version of the same pattern. This skillfully turned and carved example, as the inscription states, was awarded as first prize to the anonymous “champion of the hostel” named after the infamous Lazar Kaganovich (1893-1991), nicknamed ‘Iron Lazar,’ Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers and ruthless right-hand-man of Stalin prior to his death in 1953.

 

The Champions are in their original vintage condition apart from a few minor repairs; a chip to the black queen’s collar, the ball finial of the white queen is a replacement, as is the base pad of the same queen, which was missing. These minor fixes have been meticulously matched to the original patina. The pink cloth base has been gently antiqued to match the set.

 

This old pattern is a popular member of the ‘Averbakh family’ of chess pieces that stand tall, lean and dignified, much like their namesake, the Soviet GM Yuri Averbakh, to whom they will be forever associated. Another legendary Soviet GM, Anatoly Karpov, also favoured these pieces, as shown in the last photograph snapped during a 2020 podcast in Moscow.

 

BOTH QUEENS carry the hand-painted iridescent GOLD 2024 ‘Power signature’ of the artist on their bases. The set is also accompanied by our unique signed, stamped and dated ‘Certificate of Artistry’ (see our Jan 2022 chessay, THE UNTOLD OF THE C.O.A. for more info on these beauties!).

 

Thanks for swinging by!

 

Etsy Set Price: $575.00

 

Ref Code: SV24