*SOLD* Legionem Michaelis (Misha’s Army), Mediium Sized Mordovian Chess Set (post Stalin era), c.1950-1960

Legionem Michaelis (Misha’s Army), 32 lightly-weighted chessmen without board, wood, orange v. brown, Classic Soviet/Latvian Chess Set (post Stalin era), c.1955

Height: King 10cm, weight 15g, base width 3.5cm, Queen 8.5cm, Bishop 7.5cm, Knight 6.3cm, Rook  5.1cm, Pawn 4.5cm. W: green felt bases B: same

 

The effervescent Portuguese collector, Arlindo Vieira, in his blog Xadrez Memoria (Memories Of Chess) enthuses that Tal “loved this [these]

pieces” and if I were forced to select just one Soviet set to take with me to the afterlife, this would certainly be the one. Vieira, of course, refers to the late World Champion Mikhail Tal, or “Misha” as he was fondly called, the famous ‘Magician of Riga’.’ And one can see why he favoured this particular set, as just to glance at them sparks an uncontrollable urge to play chess!

The iconic ‘elbow-shaped’ knights have a stark simplicity about them and are very comfortable in hand – even more so with this set, which has been lightly weighted lending them added substance on the field.* Likewise, the simple tear-drop mitre of the bishop can only be inspired by Moscow’s Saint Basil’s Cathedral and it’s “towering domes shaped like the flames of a bonfire rising into the sky” (A. Ivanov, The Tsars, 2018). A vivid image I bore to mind when layering the fiery blood- red/orange hues over the lighter side of this set, and if it catches your eye, I hope you will enjoy some ‘fireworks’ with it too!

The pieces are UV resistant and ideal for display as well as casual play.

Both Kings carry the hand-painted iridescent- gold (2019) signature of the artist on their felt bases.