Remarkable images in auction

[John Townsend]

Congratulations to Klittich (auctions) on a most impressive set of images in the section headed Schachmemorabilien:

https://www.klittich-pfankuch.de/auktio40/AK32a.htm

[John Upham]

Yes, a superb collection for sure.

[Jon D'Souza-Eva]

Some amazing pictures. I think I might have to spend several hours this evening trying to work out the identities of all of the "Chess Champions of England (1871)".

[John Townsend]

There is a Staunton picture which is new to me, and I don't recall previously having seen an image of Edward Lowe (an odds opponent of Staunton), to mention just two items.

[Christopher Kreuzer]

I love the "#475 [...] Bradley Beach 1929 - USA" photo, with chess masters reclining on beach chairs!

Also: "#487 Gruppenfoto anläßlich eines Schachabends bei Umar Hayat Khan für Dr. Aljechin"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malik_Umar_Hayat_Khan

The chess history is interesting there. Vera Menchik and others also in that photo. However "based on the historical original from the 1950s" is clearly bunk. That is a 1930s photo (possibly early 1940s).

Jon, what about "#490 Foto. Internationales Schachtableau 'I. Serie' und 'II. Serie'"? 128 mini-portraits there! One of the men (they are all men) has the most amazing beard.

Too many to mention, but a shout out for: "#503 Graphik. Fischer - Spasski."

Which Staunton picture is new to you, John? I searched for Staunton and Lowe, but nothing came up.

[Ian Thompson]

The chess history is interesting there. Vera Menchik and others also in that photo. However "based on the historical original from the 1950s" is clearly bunk. That is a 1930s photo (possibly early 1940s).

"print based on the historical original from the 1950s." maybe should have said the print is from the 1950s, not the original.

[John Townsend]

Christopher, it's Lot 482, the Chess Champions of England. Lowe and Staunton are in their alphabetical order.

[John Townsend]

On second thoughts, I have seen the Staunton and the Lowe before, as they are in Edward Winter's "Pictures of Howard Staunton":

https://www.chesshistory.com/winter/ext ... tures.html

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Some amazing pictures. I think I might have to spend several hours this evening trying to work out the identities of all of the "Chess Champions of England (1871)".

Here are the surnames transcribed, which will help. Some obvious, some not.

Abbott
Andrews
Angas
Baxter
Beck
Benbow
Blackburne
Boden
Bolt
Bolton
J. Brown
R. A. Brown
Campbell
Coates
Collins
Drew
Duffy
Evans
Farrow
Fawcett
Finlinson
Fraser
Frazer
Freeborough
Greenwood
Grimshaw
Healey
Hopwood
Horwitz
Jordan
Kennedy
Kidson
Kling
Leest
Lewis
Lowe
Lowenthal
McArthur
McGregor
Mackenzie
Meyer
Mitcheson
Mott
Ormond
Pavitt
Pierce
Portilla
Ranken
Smith
Staunton
Steinitz
Stonehouse
Taylor
Thorold
Tomlinson
Townsend
De Vere
Walker
Watkinson
Watson
Wayte
White
Wormald
Wyvill

[Jon D'Souza-Eva]

Some amazing pictures. I think I might have to spend several hours this evening trying to work out the identities of all of the "Chess Champions of England (1871)".

Here are the surnames transcribed, which will help. Some obvious, some not.

Thanks very much Chris.

[Gerard Killoran]

I love the "#475 [...] Bradley Beach 1929 - USA" photo, with chess masters reclining on beach chairs!

Also: "#487 Gruppenfoto anläßlich eines Schachabends bei Umar Hayat Khan für Dr. Aljechin"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malik_Umar_Hayat_Khan

The chess history is interesting there. Vera Menchik and others also in that photo. However "based on the historical original from the 1950s" is clearly bunk. That is a 1930s photo (possibly early 1940s).

Jon, what about "#490 Foto. Internationales Schachtableau 'I. Serie' und 'II. Serie'"? 128 mini-portraits there! One of the men (they are all men) has the most amazing beard.

Too many to mention, but a shout out for: "#503 Graphik. Fischer - Spasski."

Which Staunton picture is new to you, John? I searched for Staunton and Lowe, but nothing came up.

The group photograph appears in Danny King's biography of Sultan Khan via the BCM and thus is a lesser quality. It dates from December 1931 and Danny identifies the following:

Back row: C.D.Locock (literary scholar, editor and translator and chess player); R.H.S.Stevenson (well-known chess organiser; editor of home news for the BCM); P.W.Sergeant (chess author); Charles Wreford-Brown (renowned footballer and cricketer and keen chess player); Sir Ernest
Graham-Little (Member of Parliament, president of the Empire Social Chess Club); Sir Umar Hayat Khan; R.C.Griffith (editor of the BCM); F.D.Yates;
Julius Du Mont (chess author); J.B.Whieldon (?).

Middle row: Miss Frances Joseph (a member of Sir Umar’s household, possibly nanny/tutor for ‘Aziz’); Mrs Latham (?); Mrs Arthur Rawson (president of the Imperial Chess Club); Vera Menchik; Alexander Alekhine; Mrs Stevenson (four-time British Ladies Champion, wife of R.H.S.); Dr Seitz (German player and journalist who frequently visited London).

On the floor: Dr S.Basalvi (household physician); Aziz (perhaps daughter of Abdul Aziz, one of the staff); Sultan Khan.

[John Townsend]

In 2008 Edward Winter showed the photograph and the BCM's details.
See C.N. 5602 in https://www.chesshistory.com/winter/ext ... nkhan.html