u/EnPassant01

The chessmen from the Isle of Lewis hold one of the great stories about medieval chess pieces. Carved in the 12th Century from walrus tusk and whale teeth, they were discovered in Scotland in 1831 among a group of artifacts including 82 chess pieces, comprising four different incomplete sets. It's generally understood they reflect Scandinavian viking culture. However, who made them and how they got to the Isle of Lewis remain a mystery.

1. What type of player or collector is interested in these sets?

2. Which company made this particular reproduction?

3. ⁠How does it look with this particular chessboard? The kings are so big they need 2.25" squares. I like the colors, but wonder if the light colored board is too refined.

Just picked up an original Michael Graves set. Not my normal style, but an iconic Post-Modern minimalist design by the renowned architect, industrial designer, and Princeton professor. Initially released by a unique arrangement with Target stores, Graves' partnership with Target in 2000 focused on democratizing high design with his philosophy of "Design for All".

The chess set was so successful, Target released a travel set and briefly re-issued another full-size set in 2013. Used sets fetch $150-250 in top condition, but prices range all over from $50-2000.

The vast majority of players and collectors set up the egg-shaped pieces slanting forward. This makes sense because the front facing bishops resemble the traditional Staunton tournament design. In fact, the original store packaging shows pieces oriented this way.

Here's the dilemma: Most images from Target store ads and all later packaging show the egg-shaped pieces slanting backward. The official Michael Graves website, ChessAntiques.com, and World Chess Hall of Fame also have photos with the eggs facing that way. Seems strange, but Google explains the knight's mane is supposed to be facing to the rear, consequently the egg-shape leans back. But then why would Graves design the bishop backwards? Personally, I would argue that an opponent has a hard time identifying your pieces when the eggs are slanting to the rear.

I searched for articles and interviews with Michael Graves, but did not find any definitive answer. There's a pencil sketch by him, but it has no clues. So, if you own one of these sets, how are you setting it up?

FINAL ANSWER: Just got a friendly and direct response from the design firm itself: "Think of the pieces moving forward and slanting backwards, expressing forward motion and aerodynamic, like a flag in the wind."