A selection of Lothar Schmid’s historic chess pieces.
One of the most important collections of early chess pieces – from the collection of Lothar Schmid referee of the historic match between Bobby Fischer and Boris Spassky – comes up at Sotheby’s in London on April 20. Each piece carries huge significance in the evolution of the game throughout Persia and the Middle East. Highlights include an almost complete 10th-century set (£20,000-30,000). Lothar Schmid (1928-2013) a ‘Grandmaster’ is famed for refereeing what became known as the “Match of the Century”. The 1972 Cold War face-off between the American challenger Bobby Fischer and Boris Spassky of the Soviet Union was staged in neutral Reykjavik. Fischer won.
Schmid assembled one of the greatest collections of historic chess pieces, as well as a vast collection of books relating to the game. The library is said to be the world’s largest and most complete, comprising more than 50,000 volumes on the subject. It includes rare copies such as the first printed chess book, dated 1497. The collection, estimated at £73,800-117,200, will feature as part of Sotheby’s Arts of the Islamic World sale. T
