16th Chess Collectors International Convention, Jersey City

D-r George Dean, Dr. Tomas Thomsen, George Sheynker, Dr. Houst Naumann, Vivian Dean, Jens-Frieder Mukke, Igor Lobortas.

16th Chess Collectors International Convention, Jersey City, USA
Tuesday, 17 June 2014 09:46

May 25 at Hyatt Regency Jersey City four-day biennial International Convention of CCI was concluded. In exposition of more than 40 rare collector’s chess sets the central place deservedly was taken by unique chess “March on Constantinople”, created by the craftsmen of Lobortas Classic Jewelry House.

Floyd Sarisohn, the chairman of the Convention, and CCI President Michael R. Wiltshire welcomed the participants of 16th Convention. Since its founding in 1984 Chess Cоlleсtоrs International for 30 years already has been making a great contribution into the exploration of chess history, disclosure of connection between chess and universal history, culture, art, literature and various areas of science, has been publishing materials on the history of chessmen and chessboards and has been bringing together representatives from more than 20 countries.

Under the program for Convention the participants were kindly invited to inspect the noted chessmen collections, chess fields and tables, owned by Jon Crumiller, a member of CCI, the famous historian and analyst of chess and everything with it connected. Not less interesting was the visit to another venerable collector Israel Rаphаelli.

During the Convention the successful auction was held, at which 36 lots were put up. Several antique and contemporary chess sets have found their new owners.

Yuri Sergeev, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine, the Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the United Nations, presented works of Ukrainian craftsmen in his welcoming speech to participants of 16th Chess Collectors International Convention and proposed the following Convention to be held in UN.

The founder of Lobortas Classic Jewelry House Igor Lobortas stressed confidence in that the jewelry art, reflected in centuries of the chess creation, is an important heritage of mankind and can play an even more important role in modern life, and presented to distinguished community unique chess “March on Constantinople”.

The world’s only full jade field of unique chess “Marches on Constantinople” by craftsmen of Lobortas Classic Jewelry House is made of rare light and more common dark green jade. In 19th century Carl Faberge used jade in his exclusive handcrafted chess, although he made only half of the field out of jade, white checks were made of serpentine. CCI President Dr. George Dean, the owner of Faberge chess, expressed his admiration for chess “March on Constantinople”, by writing it in a special album. His admiration was shared by other authoritative and well-known around the world collectors, who made records in memorable album: Floyd Sarisohn, the chairman of the Convention, CCI executive team member, CCI President Michael R. Wiltshire, Honorary CCI Presidents: Dr. Thomas Thomsen and Dr. George Dean.

Welcoming letter from Anatoly Karpov, the honorary member of CCI, thriple world champion, the Russian Federation State Duma deputy, was read out. In the letter, he expressed gratitude to collectors for the invaluable contribution to the history of chess game, which they have made, keeping for future generations rarest, unique and most interesting chess artifacts.