A small carved ivory figure bought for just £5 by an Edinburgh antiques dealer in 1964 has sold at auction for £735,000 after experts identified it as a long-lost Lewis chessman.
asserted
experts → carve → chessman
The sale set an official record for the most expensive medieval chess piece ever sold at auction, according to Guinness World Records.
uncertain
sale → set → Records
The 8.8-centimetre figure is made from walrus tusk and represents a warder, which is the equivalent of a rook in modern chess.
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which → make → chess
For 55 years, the chess piece was kept inside a drawer at the home of the dealer's daughter.
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piece → keep → daughter
She had no idea about its historical importance or how much it could be worth.
uncertain
it → have → much
The story of the missing warder began in 1964, when an Edinburgh antiques dealer bought the small ivory figure from another local dealer.
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dealer → miss → dealer
He recorded the purchase in his sales book as an "Antique Walrus Tusk Warrior Chessman".
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He → record → Chessman
After his death, his daughter inherited the figure.
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daughter → inherit → figure
A family spokesperson told Sotheby's that although the family did not know exactly what the object was, its owner loved it because of its unusual appearance.
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owner → tell → appearance
"My mother was very fond of the Chessman as she admired its intricacy and quirkiness," the spokesperson said in a statement released through the auction house.
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spokesperson → admire → house
"She believed that it was special and thought perhaps it could even have had some magical significance.
uncertain
it → believe → significance
For many years it resided in a drawer in her home where it had been carefully wrapped in a small bag."
asserted
it → reside → bag
The family eventually took the figure to Sotheby's in London for a free valuation.
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family → take → valuation
Experts quickly recognised that it was a genuine Lewis chessman.
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it → recognise → ?
Expert identification at Sotheby's
Alexander Kader, Sotheby's co-worldwide head of European sculpture and works of art, recalled when the family first brought the figure in for an assessment.
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family → recall → assessment
"They brought it in for assessment.
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They → bring → assessment
That happens everyday.
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That → happen → ?
Our doors are open for free valuations," Kader told the Press Association.
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Kader → tell → Association
"We get called down to the counter and have no idea what we are going to see.
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we → call → what
I said, 'Oh my goodness, it's one of the Lewis Chessmen.'"
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it → say → Chessmen
Kader kept the discovery secret for six months while experts carried out checks to confirm its identity.
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experts → keep → identity
He described the warder as having a weathered appearance and said its worn condition added to its historical charm.
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condition → describe → charm
"When you hold this characterful warder in your hand or see him in the room, he has real presence," Kader told The Guardian.
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Kader → hold → Guardian
"This is one of the most exciting and personal rediscoveries to have been made during my career.
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This → make → career
Significance of the Lewis hoard
The newly identified figure is part of the famous Lewis Chessmen collection.
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figure → identify → collection
The original hoard contains 93 carved objects and was discovered in 1831 among the sand dunes of Uig on the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides.
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hoard → contain → Hebrides
Historians believe the pieces were made in Norway between 1150 and 1200 AD.
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pieces → believe → AD
Most of the collection, including 82 pieces, is kept at the British Museum in London.
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Most → include → London
Another 11 pieces are held at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh.
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pieces → hold → Edinburgh
Before this discovery, five pieces from the original collection were believed to be missing.
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pieces → believe → collection
These included one knight and four warders.
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These → include → knight
With the sale of the newly identified warder at Sotheby's, four pieces are still missing.
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pieces → identify → Sotheby
Kader said finding the remaining pieces could take many generations.
uncertain
finding → say → generations
"There are still four out there somewhere," he said.
asserted
he → be → ?
"It might take another 150 years for another one to pop up."
uncertain
one → take → years
The Aporia
