Aurum Osterrium (Austrian Gold), Austrian Coffee House Chess Set, circa 1950 – 1960
Height: King 9cm, weight 17g, base width 2.8cm, Queen 7.4cm, Bishop 6.3cm, Knight 5.8cm, Rook 4.5cm, Pawn 4.7cm. W: Antiqued soft orange felt bases B: Same
A fine example of a vintage Austrian Coffee House Set. The style is simple and traditional featuring opposite coloured Bishop finials and elegantly carved Knights, which are carved from two pieces, unlike many other Coffee House examples.
The addition of weight has remedied the ‘Austrian wobbles’ – a common affliction in many of these unweighted, top-heavy Old Vienna designs. In this set, the King, Queen and Rook are slightly heavier than the Bishop and Knight – adding a certain authority to these pieces in the endgame.
They are finished in Danish walnut antique oil which lends a wonderful feel to the pieces. Rarely do you see weighted sets in this Od Viennese style.
The pieces are UV resistant and ideal for display, as well as casual play.
Both Kings carry the iridescent gold, hand-painted ‘power’ signature of the artist on their felt bases as the project was started in 2019.
Ref code OA19