Chess Piece

License this image

To license this image or for more information please contact our Licensing team.

We can manage your request more quickly if you include the following information:

Image reference number: XXX
Title and author (if applicable)
Publisher/Producer/Broadcaster
Planned release date
Print run or number of units
Image size and position, example 1/4 page, full screen, front cover, inside
Languages/territorial distribution
Digital rights - format details and license period

+1
images

On display

V&A South Kensington
Jewellery, Rooms 91 to 93 mezzanine, The William and Judith Bollinger Gallery

Artist/Maker	Carlo and Arthur Giuliano (maker)
Place of origin	London (made)

This rook (chess piece) was made to commemorate a chess match played in 1897 between the House of Representatives in Washington D.C. and the House of Commons in London using a transatlantic cable. A section of cable is mounted within the rook.

Object details

Categories	Jewellery Metalwork Games
Object type	Chess piece
Materials and techniques	cable mounted in gilded metal Cable Gilt Metal Gilding
Brief description	Rook chess piece embedded with a piece of cable, gilt metal and steel, Carlo and Arthur Guiliano, England, dated 1897
Physical description	Section of telegraph cable, mounted in gilded metal, with inscription recording a chess match played over transatlantic lines between the House of Commons, London, and the House of Representatives, Washington DC
Dimensions	Height: 76mm Of base diameter: 49mm
Marks and inscriptions	Mark of Arthur and Carlo Giuliano on base 'CHESS MATCH BY CABLE / BETWEEN / HOUSE OF COMMONS, LONDON / AND / HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, WASHINGTON / PLAYED OVER THE LINES OF THE / ANGLO-AMERICAN TELEGRAPH C0., LONDON / AND / WESTERN UNION TELEGRAPH CO., NEW YORK / 1897 / CONTRACTORS / THE TELEGRAPH CONSTRUCTION AND / MAINTENANCE CO., LONDON' (Engraved on the walls of the rook.)
Credit line	Given by the American Friends of the V&A through the generosity of Judith H. Siegel
Object history	This rook (chess piece) commemorates a chess match played by the House of Representatives, Washington DC, and the House of Commons, London, using a transatlantic cable in 1897.
Subject depicted	Castle
Summary	This rook (chess piece) was made to commemorate a chess match played in 1897 between the House of Representatives in Washington D.C. and the House of Commons in London using a transatlantic cable. A section of cable is mounted within the rook.
Bibliographic reference	A similar rook commemorating the same match was sold at Christie's, South Kensington, London, 7 December 2010, lot 357 (illustrated).
Other number	LOAN:AMERICANFRIENDS.441-2007 - Previous loan number
Collection	Metalwork Collection
Accession number	M.8-2011

About this object record

Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.

You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.

Suggest feedback

Record created	April 30, 2008
Record URL	https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O153869/chess-piece-carlo-and-arthur/

Download as: JSON IIIF Manifest

License this image

Download image

Object details

About this object record

You may also like