10th century chess set estimated to make $43,000

10th century chess set estimated to make $43,000

An almost complete 10th century Samanid chess set from Nishapur in modern day Iran will star in a sale of Islamic art at Sotheby's London on April 20.

Chess pieces ancient
The set belonged to chess grandmaster Lothar Schmidt

The set is valued at £20,000-30,000 ($28,677-43,015) and comprises 16 figures.

It's consigned from the personal collection of chess grandmaster Lothar Schmidt (1928-2013), the referee for the 1972 "Match of the Century" between Bobby Fischer and Boris Spassky.  

Dr Thomas Thomsen, president of Chess Collectors International, said: "In my 40 years' experience, I am not aware of any other chess set from this period".

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