A medieval chess piece which has been missing for nearly 200 years is set to rake in £1 million at auction.
The family in possession of the treasured piece had kept it in a draw for 50 years before discovering it was one of the long-lost Lewis Chessmen pieces.
The Lewis Chessmen – a famous hoard of 93 objects – were discovered in 1831 on the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides.
However, at the time of their discovery five pieces were missing – one knight and four warders.
The newly discovered medieval chess piece (pictured above) had been missing for almost 200 years
The piece (left and right) was purchased in 1964 by an antiques dealer in Edinburgh and will go on sale at Sotheby’s auction house in London
A family has now been informed that a chess piece their antiques dealer grandfather bought for just £5 in 1964 is one of the missing gems from the collection.
The man from Edinburgh had no idea of the significance of the 8.8cm piece, made from walrus ivory, which he passed down to his family. The piece itself appears to be a standing warder, a protection piece.
The family had the piece in their possession for 50 years without realising its significance, before taking it along to Sotheby’s auction house in London.
The Lewis Chessmen are among the biggest draws at the British Museum and the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh.
Some of the original pieces are housed in the British Museum and the Nation Museums Scotland. The piece in the middle shows a berserker – a group of Norse warriors who fought in a state of trance-like fury that led to some chewing their shields
How the Lewis Chessmen were found by a grazing cow in 1831 and shed a unique light on a time when the Isle of Lewis was part of Norway
The newly discovered piece (pictured) is a warder, a man with helmet, shield and sword and the equivalent of a rook on a modern chess board, which ‘has immense character and power’
The origins of the Lewis Chessmen go all the way back to AD 1150-1200, when they were made near Trondheim in Norway before being shipped to the Isle of Lewis.
Shortly after arriving on Lewis the objects were buried, possibly by a merchant to avoid taxes after being shipwrecked. At that time the Isle of Lewis was part of Norway, not Scotland.
Over half a century later the Chessmen were found in Uig Sands on April 11 1831, in a dune where they could have been placed in a small, drystone chamber.
The first piece was discovered by a grazing cow, according to local lore.
The newly discovered piece is a warder, a man with helmet, shield and sword and the equivalent of a rook on a modern chess board, which ‘has immense character and power’.
The pieces point to strong political and cultural connections between the British Isle and Scandinavia in the Middle Ages, as well as the growing popularity of chess in Europe after it arrived from the Islamic world.
The collection is made up of chess pieces made from of walrus ivory and whales’ teeth in the forms of kings and queens, bishops, knights on their mounts, warders and pawns in the shape of obelisks.
The pieces represent the medieval social hierarchy and communicate the qualities and status of those represented through their dress and gestures.
The collection was first shown at the Scottish Antiquaries Society in Edinburgh which hoped to acquire it, but was unsuccessful in its fundraising efforts.
The dealer, Mr T.A then approached the British Museum, who acquired it between November 1831 and January 1832.
At present, eleven of the 93 pieces are in Edinburgh in the National Museum of Scotland, and 82 are in the British Museum.
The collections consist of seated kings and queens as well as bishops and knights.
Source: British Museum
The family who had the piece want to remain anonymous but said one member had once thought the piece had ‘magical’ qualities.
A family spokesman said in a statement: ‘My grandfather was an antiques dealer based in Edinburgh, and in 1964 he purchased an ivory chessman from another Edinburgh dealer.
‘It was catalogued in his purchase ledger that he had bought an “Antique Walrus Tusk Warrior Chessman”.
‘From this description it can be assumed that he was unaware he had purchased an important historic artefact.’
The statement added that the piece was stored away in his home and that when the grandfather died, his mother inherited the chess piece.
‘My mother was very fond of the Chessman as she admired its intricacy and quirkiness. She believed that it was special and thought perhaps it could even have had some magical significance.
‘For many years it resided in a drawer in her home where it had been carefully wrapped in a small bag. From time to time, she would remove the chess piece from the drawer in order to appreciate its uniqueness.
Experts say the pieces are seen as an ‘important symbol of European civilisation’, while they have also seeped into popular culture, inspiring everything from children’s show Noggin The Nog to part of the plot in Harry Potter And The Philosopher’s Stone.
Sotheby’s expert Alexander Kader, who examined the piece for the family, said that his ‘jaw dropped’ when he realised what they had in their possession.
‘They brought it in for assessment. That happens everyday. Our doors are open for free valuations,.
‘We get called down to the counter and have no idea what we are going to see. More often than not, it’s not worth very much.
‘I said, “Oh my goodness, it’s one of the Lewis Chessmen”.’
He said the family, who want to remain anonymous, were ‘quite amazed’.
‘It’s a little bit bashed up. It has lost its left eye. But that kind of weather-beaten, weary warrior added to its charm,’ he said.
The pieces feature as part of the medieval gallery at the British Museum and were once an important symbol of European civilisation
Pieces on display show the variety between the pieces and why they have become such treasured items
Despite not knowing its significance, the late 12th/early 13th century chess piece had been ‘treasured’ by the family.
The Lewis Chessmen comprise of seated kings and queens, bishops, knights and standing warders and pawns. Some 82 pieces are now in the British Museum and 11 pieces held by the National Museum of Scotland. As well as the chess pieces, the hoard includes 14 ‘tablemen’ gaming pieces and a buckle.
Since the hoard was uncovered in 1831, one knight and four warders have been missing from the four combined chess sets.
The newly discovered piece is a warder, a man with helmet, shield and sword and the equivalent of a rook on a modern chess board, which ‘has immense character and power’.
The discovery of the hoard remains ‘shrouded in incredible mystery’ even today, with stories of it being dug up by a cow grazing on sandy banks.
It is thought it was buried, possibly by a merchant to avoid taxes after being shipwrecked, shortly after the objects were made and so remained underground for 500 years.
Mr Kader, who has kept the discovery under wraps for six months while authenticating the find, said: ‘We can safely say that a million pounds will transform the seller’s life.’
He added: ‘There are still four out there somewhere. It might take another 150 years for another one to pop up.’
The object will go on display in Edinburgh on Tuesday and in London just before the auction, with Mr Kader saying it could be bought by or be loaned to a museum.
The Lewis Warder piece will go up for auction, with an estimate of £600,000 to £1 million, in the Old Master Sculpture & Works of Art sale at Sotheby’s in London on July 2.
Scottish Culture Minister Linda Fabiani looks at the Lewis Chessmen back in 2008
The Lewis Chessmen comprise of seated kings and queens, bishops, knights and standing warders and pawns
