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Mexican Chess Set Discovered In House Valuable Only As Game

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By JAY MOORE, Tribune correspondent

Published: October 6, 2007

I discovered my chess set and chess table in an old house that my wife and I moved into soon after we married.

The carving and finish on the wood and chess pieces are rough. What can you tell me about it?

B.R.

Tampa

Your chess set and table were made in Mexico during the past 40 or 50 years.

The chess pieces and table inlay are made of alabaster. Calcite alabaster is found in several regions of the world, including Mexico.

Mexican calcite alabaster often is dyed and crudely carved into statues and vessels.
Chess sets with inlaid boards and wood tables are stock items still made for the tourist trade. They have no antique value.

Alabaster, a type of gypsum, also was popular for small lampshades and bases during the early 20th century. Some of the lamps are attractive.

The mineral is delicate, and buyers should avoid damaged pieces.

I would like any information about a dresser set handed down from my great-grandmother. I can identify only one type of piece, the hair receiver.

Each is marked 'Nippon' with a green leaf and 'M' inside.

D.S.

Richmond

This hand-painted Nippon dresser set consisting of a powder jar, hair receiver, two small jars and two trays was manufactured in Japan around the turn of the 20th century.

It was made for export to the United States.

Porcelain and other imports were marked 'Nippon' (the Japanese word for Japan) between 1891 and 1921. Morimura Brothers, which used the green wreath mark, was a large export-import firm with a New York office. The firm is still in the import porcelain business but is now called Noritake.

The set appears to be in good condition, except for damage to one small jar. It would retail for about $110.

The quality of Nippon porcelain varies greatly. A high-quality dresser set may sell for more than $1,000.

Have a question about antiques? E-mail a complete description with a clear digital image (.jpg file) to athome@tampatrib.com. Include a name, address and daytime phone number. Regular mail can be sent with clear photographs (plain-paper prints or Polaroid

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