Two closeups of the knights
My Oleg Raikis commission has arrived. The Raikislai Series Chess Pieces.
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Very unique style, nice! Congratz mister P!
Very nice looking set , knight 's are very exceptional ,
Wow! Congrats! I love the grain of the age boxwood. You rarely see one of Rakis' sets. The knights are so interesting... very angry like all of the Soviet knights. What does the other set of knights look like?
Pawnerai wrote:
World renowned artist and chess set sculptor, Oleg Raikis, requires no introduction to many of us on this forum. His "mini sculptures on a chessboard" are always stunning to see when he reveals the latest creations on his website or social media. Three months ago (March 2021) when MGT88/Mike mentioned there was an opportunity to purchase an original Oleg Raikis chess set I jumped at the unique opportunity to work with Oleg. This was a grail for sure.
I've always had this idea in my head for the knights. Fierce, angry knights. Spitting mad. A warhorse in the heat of battle. Knights are always an interesting contrast to the other rigid Staunton style pieces of the set. A chance for an artist to show personal creativity and inspiration.
After a few emails back and forth to discuss what I had in mind for the knights, Oleg began work carving. Fingers crossed, the waiting began. At least the three months was not as long as Noj. Hah!
The Raikislai Series Chess Pieces.
Truly awesome; with Oleg's help, you turned your vision of the "furious knight"/"angry knight" into reality; these knights are truly unique/one-of-a-kind and the only I've ever seen with their heads raised skyward (knight heads are always positioned level or turned downwards); I wouldn't be surprised if we begin to see knight designs inspired by yours hit the market in the not-so-distant future. A grail to enjoy for generations; great board pairing and incredible photos!
Jun 22, 2021
0
#11
A tip of the hat to you @Pawnerai and of course l, to Oleg who’s work I admire from afar. I think it is wise (and takes guts) to commission such a piece from an artist with a brief such as yours ...and then letting the artist use their skills and experience to interpret the design. (As opposed to providing say a drawing or photo and asking them to replicate something.)
The result is beautiful, unique and is now a story in and of itself - between you and Oleg - and those of us lucky enough to see the outcome.
👍
The result is beautiful, unique and is now a story in and of itself - between you and Oleg - and those of us lucky enough to see the outcome.
👍
Thank you for all the comments folks!
Below is Oleg's set of Jaques-ish style knights to swap in for a more relaxing game.
Jun 22, 2021
0
#13
Beautiful set @Pawnerai! As someone said this is a behind the glass type of set. It was amazing seeing this go from concept to reality. For me the knights echoe the emotion and warrior spirit of the Elgin Marbles steeds. I too wouldn't be surprised if other vendors create a similar style knight in the future.
sleazymate wrote:
If I want to commission the same set, how do I contact Oleg?
Check your Messages in 10 mins.
Thanks for the close up of the Jaques knights. They remind me of the Anderssen knights. It is very beautiful.
wow! impossible to stay indifferent with this entry! a real piece of art. congratulations Pawnerai! you have helped to create a new set of pieces that we can now all enjoy, very interesting to see the work of other people, especially the handmade one like this. Btw very original name for the set 
Oh, that’s just amazing! Nothing like a custom set to bring an idea to life, especially with an exceptional artist. I have to say, apart from the knights, the bishops also stand out to me. The set as a whole works fantastically well together.
And a spare pair of knights ‘for a more relaxing game’ is a nice touch too!
And a spare pair of knights ‘for a more relaxing game’ is a nice touch too!
World renowned artist and chess set sculptor, Oleg Raikis, requires no introduction to many of us on this forum. His "mini sculptures on a chessboard" are always stunning to see when he reveals the latest creations on his website or social media. Three months ago (March 2021) when MGT88/Mike mentioned there was an opportunity to purchase an original Oleg Raikis chess set I jumped at the unique opportunity to work with Oleg. This was a grail for sure.
I've always had this idea in my head for the knights. Fierce, angry knights. Spitting mad. A warhorse in the heat of battle. Knights are always an interesting contrast to the other rigid Staunton style pieces of the set. A chance for an artist to show personal creativity and inspiration.
After a few emails back and forth to discuss what I had in mind for the knights, Oleg began work carving. Fingers crossed, the waiting began. At least the three months was not as long as Noj. Hah!
The Raikislai Series Chess Pieces.