This has been my obsession for over twenty years.
There have been many opulent chess sets created over the centuries. But while some have included the use of precious metals and gemstones, nearly all of them have been of an ordinary size. My goal is to create the most marvelous, the most unique, and the most desirable chess set that the world has ever seen.
In addition to using precious metals and gems, my design will push the limits of scale, and blur the lines between game pieces and figurative statuettes. This will surely be an extraordinarily desirable piece piece for any museum or collector of luxurious works of art.
This could be THE collectible luxury art piece of the century!
But before I get carried away with excitedly describing the details of this project, in the hopes of sweeping you away with my enthusiasm, there are a few things you may want to know first:
1. I am looking for a backer or backers to make this project possible.
2. This project has been carefully designed and planned to be as profitable as possible, with the potential for generating over $180M in revenue.
3. It is only the first of several similarly designed and planned projects, and so it could be just the beginning of a stupendously lucrative association.
The Project
The chess set I propose to create will be comprised of large bronze statuettes, accompanied by equally grand furniture. My intention is to create multiple limited-edition tiers of the same set, with the most exclusive set being a one-of-a-kind edition covered in gold and platinum, and tastefully encrusted with diamonds and rubies.
The theme of this chess set is the Pantheon of ancient Greek mythology, with the gods, goddesses and heroes as the pieces. The pawns will depict the Athenians vs the Spartans. The kings and queens will be as much as twenty-six inches tall (66cm), with the other pieces and pawns scaled proportionally to them.
Because of their unusual size, the game board will be a bronze-framed table of some four feet across (122cm). To accommodate such a large scale, two smaller companion tables will be included for holding captured pieces. Finally, the most exclusive tiers of this set will include ornately decorated chairs in keeping with the theme.
Limited-Edition tiers are as follows:
Tier 1 - One-of-a-kind Edition - $6M
This one-of-a-kind edition is the one that pulls out all the stops, and will most likely set a record for the most expensive chess set ever produced. The pawns and pieces of the opposing sides will be cast in bronze and plated with either gold or platinum. The bronze portions of the gaming table and companion tables will also be plated in gold. As another exclusive detail, the chairs for this edition only will also be overlaid with gold leaf. Furthermore, this set will include diamond and ruby encrusted details on the bases of the pieces and pawns.
Tier 2 - Limited-Edition of 12 - $1M
Pawns and pieces of the opposing sides will be cast in bronze and patinated in either black or oxidized copper green. This edition will also include the bronze tables, and matching chairs, sans the gold leaf decorations.
Tier 3 - Limited-Edition of 9 - $1.5M
This will be a half-sized set with bronze pawns and pieces in either gold or platinum. This set will not include the companion tables, but will include a redesigned gaming table in proportion with the smaller scale, and may also include gem-encrusted details o the pieces and pawns. The chairs accompanying this edition may also be redesigned.
Tier 4 - Limited-Edition of 300 - $500K
This will be a half-sized set with bronze pawns and pieces patinated in either black or oxidized copper green. This set will not include the companion tables or chairs, but will include a proportionally sized bronze gaming table. (Set 1/300 from this edition only may also have some unique and significant detail in keeping with the theme).
Tier 5 - Limited-Edition of 13 - $200K
This will be a quarter-sized bronze set plated in gold and platinum. It will include a deluxe table-top game board, rather than a dedicated gaming table. However, the pieces, pawns and game board in this edition may still be adorned with gems.
Tier 6 - Limited-Edition of 1000 - $35K
This will be a quarter-sized bronze set, patinated either in black or oxidized
copper green. It will include a deluxe table-top game board, rather than a dedicated gaming table.
Further Tiers:
Tier 7 - Open-Edition
This will be a quarter-sized set cast in resin with faux finishes, and will be identical to the Tier 6 set in all visual respects.
Tier 8 - Artist's Proofs and Foundry Proofs
It is common practice in the industry to produce one to three Artist's Proof editions and one to three Foundry Proof editions of a bronze sculpture. These are identical in every respect to the editions to be sold, except that they are marked with an AP or an FP, rather than an edition number. They are used for reference and quality control purposes in producing the editions for sale.
For the full-sized Tier 1-2 editions, the half-sized Tier 3-4 editions and the quarter-sized Tier 5-6 editions, producing a total of three of each type of proof is recommended. Some of these proofs can be held back, to be auctioned off some years after the initial release. The performance and provenance of the preceding years will add substantially to their value over time.
As you can see, if each limited-edition sells out at their respective proposed prices, this project will generate more than $180M.
N.B. The sculptures featured on this landing page are shown as examples of my work and ability, but are not directly a part of this project. They are merely representative of what I can do. Concept artwork specifically for this project is currently in production.
Investment Needs
I am seeking an investment of $5M. This will be more than enough to produce the deluxe One-of-a-kind edition plus one Artist's Proof. The One-of-a-kind edition could then be immediately sold, and media of the Artist's Proof could be used in promotion for obtaining presales. In this way, this project could be self-funding nearly from the beginning. It is already my intention to offer all investors the majority of the profits from this venture.
Since attention is the most valuable commodity on the planet now, the majority of the $5M initial investment will be used for marketing and promotion of this project. Mass awareness of this unique collectible among high net-worth individuals will be crucial to making it maximally profitable in the shortest possible time. Therefore, an abundant marketing budget from the beginning is necessary.
To see more of my work, and to learn more about how it can enhance your life and legacy, please click the link below.