*SOLD* 🇺🇦 Paxum (Peace); Large Traditional Ukrainian ‘Grandmaster’ Chess Set, c.1980

Peace (Paxum); 32 large wooden chess pieces without board, Ukrainian, Tournament/Club Set, unweighted, amber vs. brown, partially restored, c.1980

Height: King 12.8cm or 5 inches, weight 22g, base width 3.5cm; Queen 10.2cm or 4”, wt 18g, bw 3.5cm, Bishop 8.5cm 21g bw 3.8cm, Knight 7cm 21g bw 3.5cm, Rook 6.5cm 20g bw 3.8cm, Pawns 6cm 20g BASE WIDTH 4cm (four centimetres).

W: Ukrainian Blue felt pads, B: Ukrainian Yellow felt pads

NOTE: The pawns bases have the widest width in this set. The board pictured has 4.5cm squares.

 

This set is a prime example of a unique and traditional pattern used in Ukrainian chess clubs during the 1970s and 80s. These are large, beefy, broad-bottomed pieces, especially the pawns, which unusually sport the widest bases of the set (the board pictured has 4.5cm squares, but perhaps a board with 5cm squares might suit the set better). The pieces have only been partially restored, as the light pieces were in great vintage condition with a rich, golden patina with just a few minor repairs needed to two collars of the pawns. 

 

The dark pieces, however, didn’t sparkle so brightly so I decided to refinish them completely to match the warmth and ‘feel’ of the light pieces. The original brown colour has been darkened a shade or four and the sheen matched to the light side giving this “old set a new set feel” as the German author and collector, Holger Langer, kindly said of our sets.

 

The finials of the royals originally had reversed colours, very typical of the Soviet-era patterns, however, due to recent events I decided to keep them true to colour, giving the set a more European appearance, which just seemed right given the current conflict between Ukraine and Putin. Likewise, to underline the global solidarity with our Ukrainian and decent-minded Russian friends the felt bases pay respect to the horizontal bicoloured flag of Ukrainian adding a splash of colour that finishes the set off harmoniously.

 

Both kings carry the hand-painted iridescent copper 2022 ‘power’ signature of the artist on their bases and are accompanied by one of our unique Certificates of Authenticity. See the Jan. 2022 chessay for more info on this.

 

 

 

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