Exceptional French carved antique chess set featuring Charles X of France (1757-1830) and his wife Maria Therese versus an African Senegalese Chief

Made in the the early 19th century in France (probably circa 1825), the set comes with it's original large mahogany box with five plush red velvet cushions for separating the chessmen.

The French family who originally owned the set believed the white king was a portrayal of Charles X of France and this is strongly supported by comparisons with period busts and portraits of Charles X (see below).

The proportions of the chessmen are exceptional - for example the black knight is 12 cms tall and 6.5 cms in width, the rooks are 15.5cms tall and the pawns are 7.5cms tall. The total weight is 5-6 times the weight of the more usual Dieppe bust sets of the late 18th/early 19th century period.

The sculptural quality of carving is outstanding, as demonstrated by the treatment of the arms and hands on the main pieces.

These features combined with the portrayal of a reigning monarch and uniqueness of this set might suggest it was a specially commissioned for someone of wealth and status.

See knights in comparison to hand and regular Dieppe pieces below

Box dimensions 28cms (L) x 20cms (W) x 16cms (H)

Charles X bust comparison references below

Also note the rooks have a striking resemblance to the towers of the Taj Mahal in India, see reference image below.

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