One-Off! We only have one of this unique set of chess pieces! A striking hand-carved chess set produced by the Makonde people, an ethnic group spanning South-Eastern Tanzania and Northern Mozambique renowned worldwide for their distinctive sculptural woodcarving tradition. This set was made for the export trade, a popular item for collectors and travellers passing through East Africa in the mid-20th century.
Each piece is carved as a figural bust rather than a traditional chess form — faces rendered with the bold, expressive style the Makonde are celebrated for. The two sides are carved in contrasting woods: a warm honey-toned wood for one army, deep ebony-toned blackwood for the other. Knights are carved as giraffes rather than horses, reflecting traditional Makonde iconography (the tsetse fly historically made horses unfamiliar in the region), and other pieces carry the tribe’s characteristic conical and geometric headdresses to distinguish rank.
The set comes with a handwritten dealer tag noting its attributed origin and date — included with the sale as a piece of its own provenance history.
Please note: the board pictured is a separate item and not included in this listing — this sale is for the carved chess pieces only.
Full piece count: 32 Chess Pieces.
Condition: Superb quality of carving and finish – tiny aspects of wear.
King Height: 2.75″. Base Dia: 1″