Cinnabar Porcelain Half Chess Set

In the West, pottery has become increasingly limited to amateurs looking for a creative hobby but in Japan, it is still considered an honored tradition that produces both high art and everyday items people can use and enjoy. Among the over two dozen pottery traditions that are still alive in the country, those of Saga Prefecture stand out: this small area between Nagasaki and Fukuoka on the island of Kyushu has been supplying the Japanese with porcelain ceramics for about four centuries and the Cinnabar Porcelain Half Chess Set is a superb example of Saga craftsmanship and artistry.

Using a glazing style called Tenmoku that was imported from China but was perfected over several generations of master ceramicists, the Cinnabar Porcelain Half Chess Set takes a familiar concept – the standard Western chess set – and transforms it into a work of art – or 16 to be precise, since this contains the full series of one king, one queen, two bishops, two knights, two rooks, and eight pawns. The pieces are available in two colors (blue and red), making both an incredible ornament and one half of a chess set!

Specs and Features:

• 16 pieces (half a chess set)
• Made using traditional Tenmoku glazing
• Colors: blue, red
• Height (king): 8.5 cm (3.3")
• Height (queen): 8 cm (3.1")
• Height (bishop): 6.5 cm (2.6")
• Height (knight): 6 cm (2.4")
• Height (rook): 5 cm (2")
• Height (pawn): 4.3 cm (1.7")
• Material: strong porcelain developed by Saga Ceramics Research Laboratory