Turned Chessmen

Book excerpt: Woodworkers, chess set collectors, and history buffs will enjoy this comprehensive guide to the manufacture and design of wooden chessmen. Readers will learn the origin and meaning of the symbols used to signify the six chess pieces, including insight into the king's crown, the knight's horse head, and the battlements atop the rook. Details are also provided on how the design of individual pieces communicates membership in specific chess sets, and a series of photographs demonstrates six sets made by some of today's chess-making masters. Detailed drawings offer guidance on designing chess sets, and an extensive section on woodturning techniques, including step-by-step diagrams and color pictures, will explain the process of creating chessmen for interested woodworkers and woodturners.