Rare Chess Set by Gordon Martz of Marshall Studios, Circa 1960s

We don’t often use the word rare, but this chess set truly qualifies. It is one of only two examples ever produced by Gordon Martz of Marshall Studios, Veedersburg, Indiana, in the 1960s.
Based on our research, Martz designed and made only two chess sets, using two-piece plaster molds so that both would be identical. Each set was originally sold with a custom wooden chessboard and a fitted carrying case. The molds used were the same two-piece plaster molds employed for Marshall Studios lamps.
The chess set proved extremely labor-intensive to produce. Each piece required extensive firing, finishing, and glazing, followed by the additional work of creating a board and presentation box. Ultimately, the project was discontinued as it was not financially viable. Fortunately, the set was documented in period catalogs, preserving its place in Marshall Studios history. We have included a copy of the original brochure showing the chess set among our online images.

This set has all 32 pieces, half in a white glaze and the other half in a dark brown glaze. Three of the pieces were broken and reglued at some stage in their lifetime, the good part is that everything was kept together and we will include images of these in our listing. Each piece is lightweight as they are hollow on the inside with a felt base. The finish is very smooth and is a match to any of the Martz / Marshall Studios lamps currently on the market today. This set does not have its original board and carrying case.

*PLEASE ask us for a shipping quote before purchasing! Shipping is not $1. The Etsy shipping calculator is not designed for large furniture pieces and we have to manually input the shipping for every individual furniture listing. That being said, please provide us with your zip code and we will find a competitive shipping quote for your area. If you accept the quote, just let us know and we will add this cost to the listing for online checkout. Our shipping estimate will be for a door-to-door blanket wrap shipping service. Delivery times vary depending on how fast we can find a shipper and how well-traveled certain areas are.

**Location/availability - For our customers who are local to the south central Pennsylvania area, this piece is also on display for in person purchase in our showroom upstairs in Bootleg Antiques at 135 Bridge St. Columbia, PA 17512. Their hours are Wednesday 10-5, Thursday 10-5, Friday 10-8, Saturday 10-5, and Sunday 1-5. (Closed Mondays and Tuesdays) Additionally, in person purchases at Bootleg Antiques over $100 (unless marked firm) get 10% off!