Josef Hartwig (German, 1880-1955) Bauhaus Chess Set, Germany, circa 1924

Original wood box complete with thirty-two playing pieces
The pieces: stained and ebonized maple
The interior lid stamped: "HARTWIG/GES.GESCH."
The two Queens stamped: "GES.GESCH."

(H: 2 1/2, W: 5 1/4, L: 5 1/2 in. (box))

Provenance

Acquired in Germany
Thence by descent to Private Collection, Main Line, Pennsylvania

Footnote:

Literature

Bauhaus-Archiv, Experiment Bauhaus, (1988), pp. 400–01 (for a similar example)
Herbert Bayer, Walter Gropius, and Ise Gropius eds., Bauhaus 1919-1928, (1938), pg. 44 (for a similar example)
Magdalena Droste and Bauhaus Archiv, Bauhaus: 1919–1933, (1993), pg. 94 (for a similar example)
Magdalena Droste and Peter Hahn, et al., eds., Bauhaus Archive Berlin: The Collection, (1999), pp. 88, 90 (for a discussion of the artist and a similar example)
Jeannine Fiedler and Peter Feierabend, Bauhaus, (2000), pp. 406, 417, 633 (for similar examples)
Larry List, "Joseph Hartwig's Bauhaus Chess Set: Dr Zilboorg's Contribution," in The Imagery of Chess Revisited, (2005). pp. 55-60

all pieces intact, and in great condition; the box with some loosening to joints, joints to hinged side of lid with reglued joints; one hinge is missing its pin, and has a paperclip in its place; latch on lid with loose nails; outside of box with wear commensurate with age and use- water marks and some minor scuffs / scrapes