Chessmen (32)

Oliver Parker

ca. 1934 · Aluminum, bakelite · European Sculpture and Decorative Arts

Chessmen reflect the use of new metals and other substances, such as bakelite, as well as contemporary styles of decoration. This set, made by Oliver Parker, Long Island, uses standard geometric shapes—cylinder, bead, and disk—in different combinations to produce pieces immediately recognizable to the chess player accustomed to the "conventional design. It was given to Gustavus A. Pfeiffer by Herman Helms, the publisher of American Chess Bulletin in 1934.

Artist

Oliver Parker

Date

ca. 1934

Medium

Aluminum, bakelite

Culture

American, Long Island

Department

European Sculpture and Decorative Arts

Credit line

Gift of Gustavus A. Pfeiffer, 1948