Home / Arts and Entertainment / Chess Legend's Epic Collection Hits Auction Block
Chess Legend's Epic Collection Hits Auction Block
8 Mar
Summary
- Collection spans centuries and includes over 50,000 chess artefacts.
- Features items from the 1972 'Match of the Century' between Fischer and Spassky.
- Includes rare books, including the first chess strategy book from 1497.
A significant collection of chess memorabilia, comprising over 50,000 items collected over centuries, is scheduled for auction at Sotheby's in London next month. This vast collection belonged to the late German Grandmaster Lothar Schmid.
Schmid, a distinguished player and chief arbiter of the 1972 World Chess Championship, meticulously gathered artefacts. His collection includes score sheets and souvenirs from the iconic 1972 match between Boris Spassky and Bobby Fischer, famously dubbed the 'Match of the Century'.
Among the most valuable items is a rare 1497 book by Luis Ramírez de Lucena, considered the earliest existing work on chess strategy. The auction also features documentation related to the Mechanical Turk, an 18th-century chess-playing automaton.
Schmid's family is now auctioning the collection, a testament to his lifelong passion. He was a grandmaster in both over-the-board and correspondence chess, representing West Germany numerous times.
