Tyrell Chess Set

[jwprop]

Just getting to post this now. A while back, walked by one of those bronze sculpture shops in New York City, on 6th Avenue near Central Park, and saw this in the window. Looks awfully close to Tyrell’s chess set. Its Italian made, and I think they wanted $50,000 or $60,000 for it!


http://www.flickr.com/photos/40804609@N05/4426407572/


Fortunately, never had much interest in this set — much more interested in Sebastian's bird chess set, as discussed in this link:

http://www.bladerunnerprops.com/viewtopic.php?t=184&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0&sid=518dce6496bcf1ce709e89a3703aaee3
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[propsjonnyb]

Sorry to say , it's not the one , it is in a similar vein , but the Tyrell set is more medieval and in the set shown in the photo, the pawns are huzzars, so wrong period . However, the set is expensive as was the one used in the film , I have an obsure reference that it was supplied for filming with a security guard to keep it safe as it was only on loan for the filming. Tyrell's bedroom/appartment was furbished extensively to look opulent and expensive eg his bed was a copy of the Popes!! and everything in it was designed to reflect luxury and of course that money was no object! so a chess set costing $100,000 was a mere bagatelle! (( sorry pour English attempt at a joke-if you know what a bagatelle is !))

[joberg]

Yep, wrong set; it's an Empire set (Napoleonic era...you can see the Emperor at the back of the board) Propjohnny is right: medival is the era we're looking for. Love the usage of "bagatelle" wich mean "a nothing" in that context.

[jwprop]

As far as the window photo set, while it is not a perfect match, notably the base of the pieces are different (it is handmade), I still believe one side matches. Specifically Tyrell's gold King, Bishop and Knight are a match to the corresponding silver pieces in the window photo. His Castles match the gold Castles in the window photo.

Can't really make out the rest on Blu-ray, but would agree that Sebastian's side doesn't match the Napoleonic figures in the window set.


There is a reference photo for Tyrell's set in this post if you page down:

http://propsummit.com/viewtopic.php?t=184&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=120


Either way it sounds like $60k is a bargain for a set like this, though I am still not interested.

Plus I always wondered who was keeping all those bronze statue stores that you find between Times Square and Central Park in business--makes sense that it could only be a guys like Tyrell. Paul Allen are you listening?


All that said, Rick's Replica Bird Set is what is really impressive!
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[SKIN JOB 66]

[joberg]

Ooops, I stand corrected; my apologies to Jwprop . Yes Fred, you're right: it's Napoleonic era. What confused me is that the Emperor figure is missing from Tyrell's chess set (surely Tyrell is playing with the Emperor piece)...in the movie, he's moving Sebastien's pieces who still has, as far as I can see, his King!?...confusing indeed.

Ah yes Fred...in my other life I spent a lot of time in Waterloo (30min. from my house) and yes, la guarde ne se rend pas! Funny when you think that Cambrone married an English woman after the war

[SKIN JOB 66]

[propsjonnyb]

There's a GIUSEPPE VASARI NAPOLEONIC PEWTER GLD & SILVR CHESS SET up on EBay at the moment for Appx $5000 , which is causing me to question my earler remarks
Tyrell's chess set was of the Italian 'Firense' style that part is fairly certain and was very expensive, it was only borrowed for filming and as I hadn't seen one in greater detail for over 20 years, since thet are quire rare as he didn't make many before he died, I was miss-led by obtuse evidense and references ,for that I apologise , having studied the high-res photos from the blue ray DVD and compared them to the photos on the Ebay ad , whilst I don't think it an exact match , I don't think it's too far off either so it could be the one , it fits in terms of production availability , a similar set was sold at Christies in London in 2006 ,could be the sameone, unfortunately l I haven't got the odd $5000 dollar lying around to fnd out