Even fairly ordinary chess sets from the 19th century which fetched £100 sterling (€147) five years ago are making £500 today.
Mr Luke Honey, chess specialist at Phillips auction house in London, says there is increasing interest in chess sets among collectors and the market is being fuelled largely by interest from US players and collectors.
If Irish readers have a valuable set, it is most likely to be a Staunton made by Jacques & Son Ltd, a company still in operation, he says. "They acquired the pattern of what is known as the Staunton chess set. Howard Staunton was a famous chess player during the middle of the 19th century. He gave his name to the pattern; a classic 19th century design which is used in tournaments and by many players the world over. It's a design classic."
According to Mr Honey, Staunton sets in particular are rising in value. "The cheapest Staunton now is probably about £300 and the most expensive is probably about £10,000 and rising. They're made in different sizes and materials, such as wood and ivory. Ivory sets can make up to £10,000; wooden sets can make up to £2,000. They're very, very collectable. And they're just the kind of set you might find in your attic or at the back of your cupboard," he says.
Irish readers could also be lucky enough to have a 19th century Killarney Yew chess set, which Mr Honey says could be worth in the region of £400 to £600. Prices for plain 19th century English sets are also rising considerably, although there's been "a little bit of a decline in decorative Indian sets", he says. But there are exceptions. Phillips recently sold a mid-19th century "East India John Company" ivory set for £15,000. Age of itself is not necessarily an indicator of value. Some 17th century sets can be pretty rare but a high quality 19th century set might be worth more than a poor quality earlier set.
A sale of chess sets at Phillips on April 20th includes a mid-19th century Rajhastan painted and lacquered ivory chess set, similar to a set in a collection at the Victoria and Albert Museum (estimate: £6,000 to £8,000).
A rare mid-19th century Crimean War chess set, with the pieces carved in bone depicting the Russian Forces against the Turks, is estimated at £4,000 to £6,000. The Turkish Army is depicted wearing turbans while the Russian forces have the Tsar as their king and the pawns as foot soldiers wearing spiked helmets.
A rare 8th or 9th century Islamic single ivory chess piece, possibly from Afghanistan is estimated at £500 to £600.
At the most recent chess auction at Phillips last November a Jaques ivory Staunton set in a 19th century papier mache "Cartonpierre" (that is, Gothic style) box fetched £1,000. A large 19th century Staunton style boxwood and ebony playing set made an unexpected £980 against an estimate of £300 to £500. A fine (better quality carving) late 18th century German ivory set realised £7,820 while a 19th century south German boxwood set depicting Turks against Europeans made £4,800.
Mr Luke Honey, chess specialist at Phillips, can be contacted for free valuations at Phillips, 10 Salem Road, Bayswater, London W2 4DI. Telephone: 0044 171 229 9090.
Correction: Mr Desmond O'Donnell, who makes GAA All-Ireland medals, says that the bullion value of each medal is £90 rather than the lower sum given in a recent column. Medals are not presented directly after the game, as stated in the column, but at a subsequent function.
