{"product_id":"2026100010125-secondhand-chessmen","title":"Chessmen","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eCondition remarks:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBook: Good\u003cbr\u003eJacket: Worn\/faded, no tears\u003cbr\u003ePages: Good\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFew objects in the decorative arts carry the weight of history, craft, and intellect quite like the chessman — a miniature sculpture that has served as both strategic instrument and artistic canvas for over a thousand years. Chessmen by A.E.J. Mackett-Beeson presents a richly illustrated survey of chess pieces from across the centuries and civilisations, chronicling their evolution from ancient ivory carvings to the elaborately turned and gilded sets of the European Renaissance and beyond. Drawing on the distinguished collections of the Bethnal Green Museum in London, the author guides the reader through a world where artistry and game-play are inseparable, illustrated throughout with 123 photographs in both colour and black and white.\n\nMackett-Beeson writes with the authority of a seasoned curator, presenting each piece not merely as a game token but as a cultural artefact that reveals the tastes, trade routes, and social hierarchies of its era. The text argues compellingly that chessmen constitute one of the most underappreciated fields of decorative art, deserving a place alongside fine ceramics, silver, and sculpture. Scholarly yet accessible, this volume is an essential reference for collectors, historians, and anyone captivated by the intersection of art and intellect — leaving the reader to wonder what secrets are still concealed within the silent armies of the board.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Secondhand Stock","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49130805919963,"sku":"2026100010125-SECONDHAND","price":15.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0523\/7646\/9701\/files\/0455e5af-546a-4e5d-a6da-54510465b0bc.png?v=1786590202","url":"https:\/\/bookgrocer.com\/products\/2026100010125-secondhand-chessmen","provider":"Book Grocer","version":"1.0","type":"link"}