The $70,000 Chess Piece and Other Treasures Up for Auction

Among the illustrated manuscripts and medieval daggers of Sotheby’s upcoming Arts of the Islamic World auction are a variety of 9th-12th century Chess pieces. All are part of the collection of Lothar Schmid (1928-1913), a German grandmaster who’s best known as the chief arbiter of the famous Fischer-Spassky world championship match in 1972.

The nine Chess lots at auction feature game pieces from Persia, Egypt, and South Asia carved in ivory, clay, rock crystal, alabaster, and stone. There’s a 16-piece Samanid set from the 10th or 11th century estimated to fetch £20,000-30,000 and a stunning Fatamid rock crystal king or queen from Egypt in the 11th century estimated at £30,000-50,000.