Superb. Thanks for a wonderful post. 
The Sweet Smell of Chess
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Nice topic!
Once I found a singular chess set, it's called Varese Series Artisan Chess Set, you can find in chess.com's shop too, 995$ only.
I live in Varese, Italy, and I ask myself about the name of the set. Perhaps because of composer Edgar Varèse?
Apr 30, 2021
0
#5
Warnefrit wrote:
Nice topic!
Once I found a singular chess set, it's called Varese Series Artisan Chess Set, you can find in chess.com's shop too, 995$ only.
I live in Varese, Italy, and I ask myself about the name of the set. Perhaps because of composer Edgar Varèse?
I'm only guessing but my thought is that the set was created to commemorate the formalization of the Italian Chess Federation (and the accompanying tournament) that happened in Varese, a town near Milano, Italy in 1920. I love the Knight
Yeah, you probably guess right. Unfortunately, we couldn't celebrate the 100th anniversary because of the lockdown. I had given my availability to help organize the event.
hey
Apr 30, 2021
0
#9
Thanks for the great article and funny remark about celebrating the bicentennial of the formalization of the Italian Chess Federation. I will see you there.
Apr 30, 2021
0
#10
I also found this in Chess Life, 1951:
Some of the Haeger pottery I looked at was familiar. However I wasn't able to locate any examples of these so-called Chessmen lamps.
Apr 30, 2021
0
#11
The smell of chess. The smell of old books in an old library. The smell of wood. *sniff* holding back tears and smelling at the same time, bunnies multitask like they multiply. Brings back memories.
You fill up my senses
Like a gallon of magnet
Like a packet of woodbines
Like a good pinch of snuff
Like a night out in Sheffield
Like a greasy chip butty
Like Sheffield together
Come fill me again!
Like a gallon of magnet
Like a packet of woodbines
Like a good pinch of snuff
Like a night out in Sheffield
Like a greasy chip butty
Like Sheffield together
Come fill me again!
Apr 30, 2021
0
#13
TheHarbingerOfDoom wrote:
You fill up my senses
Like a gallon of magnet
Like a packet of woodbines
Like a good pinch of snuff
Like a night out in Sheffield
Like a greasy chip butty
Like Sheffield together
Come fill me again!
Like a gallon of magnet
Like a packet of woodbines
Like a good pinch of snuff
Like a night out in Sheffield
Like a greasy chip butty
Like Sheffield together
Come fill me again!
https://www.chess.com/forum/view/general/john-denver-should-be-careful-what-he-says
Apr 30, 2021
0
#14
I don't understand any of those mashed lyrics but I don-t think Annie would be happy.
It’s an English football club anthem. Soccer hooligans adopt and adapt songs
Apr 30, 2021
0
#17
TheHarbingerOfDoom wrote:
It’s an English football club anthem. Soccer hooligans adopt and adapt songs
Go Bulldogs!
So cool. You always find the most interesting chess related stories.
great
blog reprint
That which we call a rose, by any other name would smell as sweet.
-Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare
Grace Mary Chess Robinson founded her own enterprise, a perfumery named the Mary Chess Company, in 1932 when she was totally disappointed with some eau de toilette she had bought. Working both out of her home in New York City and from a shop Shepherd Market in the Mayfair district (her husband was treasurer for the Royal Philharmonic, while she had been a sculptor of metal and ceramic flowers for the Queen herself.), she began by making cold creams, graduating to Roman oils, lotions and finally perfumes. Mary Chess created all her own scents using all natural ingredients from her own garden. Remember, 1932 was in the midst of the Great Depression when most businesses were closing and few people were opening new ventures. But banking on a public yen for luxuries, her cottage industry blossomed into a multi-million dollar business. Mary Chess sold her enterprise prior to her death in 1964.
Appropriately enough, Grace Mary Robinson capitalized on her name by commissioning the Wheaton Glass Company of Millville, New Jersey to fashion perfume bottles in the shape of chess pieces.
Chess Life, Nov. 1950 stated:
Mary Chess Adds Aroma to Game
A New York perfumer, Mary Chess, has added scent to the ancient game with assorted perfumes in bottles shaped as the various chess pieces, from lowly Pawn to stately King and Queen.
But even earlier, Chess Life on March 5, 1948 published this somewhat sexist article:
Mary Chess actually started producing her "chessmen" line shortly after WWII. Each bottle (or possibly just each different chess piece) contained a different fragrance.
This is a "his and her" gift set
fairly exquisite in gold
Almost needless to say, the chessmen series was a big seller for Mary Chess.
________________________________________________________________________________________
The Italian distillery Mazzetti d’Altavilla, located in Altavilla Monferrato, used chess pieces to creatively promote their product. The clear "White" and "Black" pieces/containers were filled with two different Grappa flavors to add contrast.
Below is an advertisement: