Page 384 - The Legacy of Abraham Rothstein - text

Utilitarian objects

Rooks: the standard crenellated castle tower; AR’s versions
are indistinguishable from commercial models.

Pawns: knobbed—but not the usual featureless peg on a
turned base; AR gave rein to his imagination here, carving
two ranks of “foot-soldiers”, each a tiny leg and foot. The
visual pun is made even more striking and humorous when
the pawns are set up in front of the stiff and formal court
pieces.

66 Chess pieces
Wood
Queen (largest): 5” x 1.25”
Pawns (smallest): 2” x 1”

These chess pieces were once part of a complete set (like no.
18), but the rest were destroyed by a family dog. This group
has simpler and more conventional pawns, based on sections
of dowel turned on a lathe prior to carving. The remaining
pieces, done in the same style as the other set, are:

White: one bishop, one knight, one rook, six pawns.

Black: queen, two bishops, one rook, six pawns (all painted
shiny black.

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