Where is the oldest chess set?

Pieces from the oldest known chess set are on display at the State Museum of Culture History of Uzbekistan in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. The seven figurines are known as the Afrasiab chessmen and date back to the 6th to 8th centuries. Shop a range of antique chess sets on 1stDibs.

What is a gilded chess set?

A gilded chess set is a game set that includes a board and chess pieces that are highly decorative. Traditionally, the word gilded indicates something covered in gold. However, for chess sets, it can describe any pieces that feature decorative embellishments, such as carvings or inlays. You'll find a selection of antique and vintage chess sets on 1stDibs.

What is the name of the oldest European chess set?

The name of the oldest European chess set is the Venafro Chess Set. Experts estimate that artisans produced the set sometime between 885 to 1017 CE, and archaeologists discovered it in a Roman tomb in 1932. On 1stDibs, find a variety of chess sets from some of the world’s top sellers.

Roman Chess Set

Italian Roman-Style Chess Set Cast Metal and Leather Leather Board Circa 1960

$1,950

Italian Roman-Style Chess Set Cast Metal and Leather Leather Board Circa 1960

Located in Moreno Valley, CA

Large Italian Roman-Style Chess & Checkers Set Cast Metal and Leather Leather Board, circa 1960 A distinguished large mid-century Italian chess showcasing finely cast metal figur...

Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Games

Materials

Leather

Archers Chess Set, Gold and Silver Pieces, Green Board, Large Size

$1,468 / item

Archers Chess Set, Gold and Silver Pieces, Green Board, Large Size

Located in Saint-Ouen, FR

Handcrafted chess set on the theme of archers, with finely designed gold and silver pieces on a green bronze board. Archery, admired in warfare and hunting alike, has left a lasting ...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary French Greco Roman Game Tables

Materials

Brass, Bronze, Zinc

Archers Chess Set, Gold and Silver Pieces, Turquoise Board, Large Size

$1,468 / item

Archers Chess Set, Gold and Silver Pieces, Turquoise Board, Large Size

Located in Saint-Ouen, FR

Handcrafted chess set on the theme of archers, with finely designed gold and silver pieces on a turquoise bronze board. Archery, admired in warfare and hunting alike, has left a last...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary French Greco Roman Game Tables

Materials

Brass, Bronze, Zinc

Recent Sales

Romans vs Greeks Chess Set with Marble Pedestal Table

Sold

H 19.5 in Dm 18.5 in

Romans vs Greeks Chess Set with Marble Pedestal Table

Located in San Francisco, CA

Cast metal chess set depicting Romans versus Greeks on custom marble pedestal table.

Category

20th Century Modern Game Tables

Materials

Marble

Chess Game Set - Pietra Dura Marble 19th Century Italy

Sold

H 3.94 in W 18.51 in D 18.51 in

Chess Game Set - Pietra Dura Marble 19th Century Italy

Located in Stockholm, SE

A stunning chessboard in Pietra Dura marble produced in Italy in the mid 19th century. The chessboard is framed with a wooden frame. The chess pieces are made in metal and are probab...

Category

Antique Mid-19th Century Italian Classical Roman Game Boards

Materials

Marble

FiNE ANTIQUE VICTORIAN STAUNTON CHESS SET & CHESSBOARD IN ROMAN HORSE INLAID BOX

Sold

H 3.55 in W 10.44 in D 4.53 in

FiNE ANTIQUE VICTORIAN STAUNTON CHESS SET & CHESSBOARD IN ROMAN HORSE INLAID BOX

By House of Staunton

Located in West Sussex, Pulborough

Royal House Antiques Royal House Antiques is delighted to offer for sale this absolutely stunning circa 1880 Victorian Walnut and Oak Chessboard set complete with Staunton chess pie...

Category

Antique 1880s English High Victorian Games

Materials

Boxwood, Oak, Walnut

1960s Giacometti Inspired Brutalist Artisan Bronze Etruscan Sculptures Chess Set

Sold

H 7 in W 21.75 in D 21.75 in

1960s Giacometti Inspired Brutalist Artisan Bronze Etruscan Sculptures Chess Set

By Christoforus Sklavenitis, Alberto Giacometti

Located in St. Louis, MO

Rare 1960s Mid-Century Italian / Greek artisan Brutalist style or Classical period chess set. In the style of the Etruscan period, each piece is cast in bronze, one set patinated gre...

Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Greco Roman Games

Materials

Brass, Bronze

1960S Italian Chess set in Patinated Bronze.

Sold

H 4.3 in W 13.65 in D 13.65 in

1960S Italian Chess set in Patinated Bronze.

Located in Clifton Springs, NY

Striking Italian bronze chess set was modeled after Etruscan bronze sculptures produced in the Umbro-Sabellian area around the 5th century BC.

Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Brutalist Game Boards

Materials

Brass, Bronze

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Questions About Roman Chess Set

Where is the oldest chess set?
1 Answer
1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
Pieces from the oldest known chess set are on display at the State Museum of Culture History of Uzbekistan in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. The seven figurines are known as the Afrasiab chessmen and date back to the 6th to 8th centuries. Shop a range of antique chess sets on 1stDibs.
What is a gilded chess set?
1 Answer
1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
A gilded chess set is a game set that includes a board and chess pieces that are highly decorative. Traditionally, the word gilded indicates something covered in gold. However, for chess sets, it can describe any pieces that feature decorative embellishments, such as carvings or inlays. You'll find a selection of antique and vintage chess sets on 1stDibs.
What is the name of the oldest European chess set?
1 Answer
1stDibs ExpertJune 15, 2023
The name of the oldest European chess set is the Venafro Chess Set. Experts estimate that artisans produced the set sometime between 885 to 1017 CE, and archaeologists discovered it in a Roman tomb in 1932. On 1stDibs, find a variety of chess sets from some of the world’s top sellers.