Chess piece or not?

[dancing_with_volves]

It might not be easy to tell if a single item might be a chess piece. For instance an item that has been frequently listed on ebay: http://www.ivory4u.com/estate2/17cManOnBall.jpg The figure really does look like a chess piece but it might be just a fine individual piece of carved ivory. Here is one more example of the same line: http://www.ivory4u.com/estate2/4511.jpg Some netsukes are designed as chess pieces - in that case, wholes should help to tell. Some okimono figures very much resemble chess pieces. Butrint chessman has been a subject of much discussion. Is it really a gaming piece or just an ornamental detail? http://history.chess.free.fr/butrint.htm Might be a million dollar question :) Ebay item 110052443587 is not a chess figure (although it is a really beautiful piece of ivory IMHO) but what if it had a turned base? Would you buy it as a chess piece in this case? Thins get even more confusing with ancient pieces. Jon collects medieval and earlier gaming pieces (often archeological finds) - maybe he can shed some light on the topic. For instance, what about item 200045952413?

[jvreij]

Hello can anyone tell me how to include URL (hyperlink) in these texts?

[r.van.der.veur]

Hello Joost, Link to the Dutch eBay site I used this HTML code: Link to the Dutch eBay site Before the HTML code will work you will have to change the"" for ">" .

[jvreij]

Hello Robert Thank you very much! Can you tell how to start in a new window? Can yu tell how people incude pictures (not from an album) regards, Joost

[ne0romantic]

A picture not from an album: where the '[]' are replaced with '<>', and the first **** are the image path and file name the second **** are a shorter title for the image or they can be teh path and file name again.

[ne0romantic]

should open a link in a new new window, where 'link.html' is the page you want to go to and '_blank' is not a variable. I'm not much of an html coder, but no one else seems to be answering these. Also, perhaps we should have a thread for these questions in particular.

[dancing_with_volves]

We have "Technical issues" thread.

[dancing_with_volves]

Does anyone see a reason why should 170082960735 be a chess piece?

[computojon]

I can see a reason why it wouldn't be a chess piece. The side profile shows that the piece is so skinny that it would topple over at the slightest agitation. Imagine if the whole set were like that. I have a Kholmogory set that needs to be set up carefully or else the pieces could fall like dominoes, but even that set is twice as thick as this alleged piece.

[chesspurr]

computojon hi jon interesting observation that , as i have always suspected chess playing collectors have an edge over non playing ones. we seem to want to find boards ,set up the pieces and play with them. yet some of the 1/2 starved cheap chiniese 1920s sets suggest that they were meant to be chess pieces ,but using them is quite another matter.

[dancing_with_volves]

Yes, I noticed that as well, but the figure i quite short as well. It does not have a base of a chessman. It might have had a wider base originally to keep it from toppling. But in it's present state I find the claim of the seller very hard to believe.

[jvreij]

No chess piece. Seller is clearly dumb. He claims it is a king, but actually it would be a bishop. Sorry: It IS a bishop, probably an archbishop, complete with ceremonial dress and ceremonial hat (sorry I do not know the word for that 4-edge headgear any more). But maybe you mustbe Roman Catholic to see it. So 100% sure it is NOT a chess piece. (sorry 200%)

[dancing_with_volves]

Chess piece or not? 260100097244

[chesspurr]

ktistjansander hi kristjan. i may be very wrong ,but i dont think its a chess piece.

[chessspy]

Hi, Kristjan, No it's not a chess piece, these group figures come up in Portobello occasionally. They are usually in groups of several "students" studying at the feet of a "guru" the female figure would be a serving lady or some such. The smaller figures sometimes come on a large ivory base made out of either one piece of ivory or ,in later displays small pieces as planking. Regards Alan D.

[chessspy]

Hi ,Joost, Yes you are right this sorry looking object is actually a religious figure to be carried by pilgrims(so much for the gullible Catholics then) regards Alan D.