Sale of Items from the Collection of Lothar Schmid at Sotheby’s
by Henri Serruys
On Friday, 17 April, an online auction entitled Books, Manuscripts & Objects from Three Important Collections was held at Sotheby’s, London. The first 86 lots derived from the collection of the late and renowned Bamberg collector Lothar Schmid.
In the weeks preceding the sale, considerable attention in the international press had already focused on one particular highlight: the original scoresheets — signed by both players as well as by Schmid in his capacity as arbiter — of the 17th game of the 1972 World Chess Championship between Boris Spassky and Bobby Fischer.
Expectations of a substantial result were amply fulfilled. The lot realised the impressive sum of £140,800 (£110,000 hammer price, plus a 28% buyer’s premium).
Other major items likewise achieved outstanding prices. The 1497 work by Luis Ramírez de Lucena — undoubtedly the star lot of the sale — fetched £179,200 (hammer price £140,000).
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Luis Ramírez de Lucena - Repetición de amores y arte de ajedrez -
Gioachino Greco - Trattato del gioco de scacchi -
Jacobus de Cessolis - Schachzabelbuch, Strasbourg, 1483
The presentation manuscript of Gioachino Greco’s Trattato del gioco de scacchi (Rome, 1620), the so-called Corsini manuscript, extensively discussed by Alessandro Sanvito and others, including Peter J. Monté in The Classical Era of Modern Chess (2014, p. 324), realised £115,200 (hammer price £90,000).
Members of Chess Collectors International will no doubt have taken particular interest in the remarkable early gaming counters. Thus, a set of seven counters from Southern Germany, dating from the mid-16th century, sold for £12,800.
Among the graphic works, a drawing by Giulio Benso, The Chess Players, which constituted the highlight of this category, achieved £44,800.
Early printed editions of the works of Jacobus de Cessolis also realised strong prices. Full results of the sale may be consulted here: Sotheby’s
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Giulio Benso - The chess players -
Gaming counters - A group of seven counters, Southern Germany, mid-16th century
