Lot #715. Anri Caribbean Chessmen, The Rarest of the Anri Sets

Description

Anri Caribbean Chessmen.

Offered here is the Rarest of the Anri Chess Sets, the Anri Caribbean Chessmen, Item #71819. This is a beautifully hand-carved and hand-painted set of very festive figural  Chess pieces depicting Caribbean Native life. Each of the chess pieces is magnificently hand-carved and painted The King stands 4-1/4″ tall. The finely hand carved Chess pieces are crafted from alpine maple and are hand-painted and gilded, the bases are nicely weighted and the pieces are felted. The Chess pieces are housed in a finely crafted, two-tray, fitted mahogany display case. The Anri Caribbean Chessmen are in like-new condition, and were produced for only one year between 1970 and 1971. The chessmen were designed by C. & M. Caron and made exclusively by Anri of Italy.  There is a silver plaque affixed to the inside of the box lid which reads: Designed by C. & M. Caron of the Virgin Islands.  Also included is a post Card with a full color image of the Caribbean Chessmen on one side. Very few of these sets were ever made. The Official Anri Guide listing for these chessmen is shown here. No chessboard is included with these chessmen, but we offer a large selection of modern and antique chessboards here. Anri chessmen are 100% made in Italy for those who can appreciate the true value of these magnificent artistic chessmen.

Background.

In the late 19th century Alois Riffeser traveled to the major European cities to sell the wood carved figurines and toys which were bought from the farmers of the Gröden Valley located in the Dolomite region of the Alps. This area in South Tyrol was part of Austria-Hungary at the time until being annexed to Italy in 1919.

In 1912 Josef Anton Riffeser founded the ANRI Company, which he named using the first two letters of his first and last name. After World War I, where he was in a prisoner of war camp in Siberia, he formulated his plan for a woodcarving company. He created his own models which he distributed successfully, mainly in the Alpine region.

When Anton Adolf Riffeser took over in 1945, he transformed the ANRI company, adopting a more industrial model which allowed for better quality control and distribution to new markets. He was followed by Ernst Riffeser who was able to enlist the services of many well-known artists including Juan Ferràndiz, Sarah Kay and others. The ANRI company today is run by Thomas Riffeser, and still remains in the same family.

The wood art tradition has a long history in Val Gardena, Italy. The tradition of woodcarving dates back to the XVII century, when farmers started producing wood toys and utensils during the long winter season. The peasants than used to sell the items at spring markets. Part of the autonomous region Alto Adige/Southern Tyrol in Italy, the Val Gardena is known for its ancient romantic language, its skiing facilities – and its old tradition of woodcarving. The ANRI company’s chess sets from the 1950s through the 1980s were produced in this region and have gained collectors status, thanks to their unparalleled quality.

The Anri workshops are renowned all over the world because the wonderful wooden sculptures and statues made by the famous local sculptors and carvers.