Italy  (Other European)

Italy. Seller said he picked it up in south of France, but I think it is mid to late 18th century Italian, as connoisseur Massimiliano De Angelis confirmed. Knights and Rooks are rather big and more rude as the other pieces, and at least the bases of black Knights have been worked on. Italian made, altered in France has been suggested. But all wood, the dark wood as well, looks the same. So after all I suppose it has been made so as one set. Regrettable there are some damages.

Italy. Antique Italian chess sets are extremely hard to find outside Italy. This set has very characteristic Italian knights. Nevertheless, it is not always recognized as antique Italian by collectors. The ivory Italian set was taken over from another collector. One could call it is a "Mazzini" set, because he owned a similar, but wooden, set.

Italy. I was lucky to find the wooden set at Ebay. It has similarities with the more common so called Piedmontese sets. It has very characteristic Italian knights. Although Rooks are not all equal, one Bishop's base short (at manufacture?) and one pawn's finial repaired, it is in very good condition. That can't be said of the box, but that's not a chess box anyway. Rooks could have been mixed with other sets, because these sets were in use at clubs.

Italy. I bought this modern abstract set in 1997 in a second hand shop in the Netherlands, not knowing much of it. It was one of the first sets I bought for my collection. In October 2022, on Catawiki, a similar set was attributed to the Italian designer Angelo Mangiarotti, made of famous Rapolano travertine in the 1950ies. Note that there are some small differences with the sets shown on internet, being incisions at base of rook and knight and under jaw of knight. Enzo Mari and Fratelli Mannelli did also work with Rapolano travertine.

Italy. This ANRI set, designed by Arthur Elliott, is called "Universum", but is also known as "Space Age Chess Set". The pamphlet is in German, but it explains that King is a Space Station, Queen a Space Ship, Bishop an Intercontinental Rocket, Knight a Satellite, Rook a Radar Station and pawns just Rockets.

Italy. Next 4 sets, all of metal, are made by Italfama, Florence, Italy. Although I could not find the 1st, somewhat smaller, set in the catalogue, I'm pretty sure it is Italfama and a so called "Mignon" set. 2nd and 3rd set are in the catalogue, but the 4th, again, isn't. I'm pretty sure that travel set is Italfama as well and probably it is what they call a "Staunton" set like their similar bigger sets.