Update: March 2, 2006
«©NCSX» Kaiyodo ships a chess set with a Harry Potter theme... which we gleaned from the text and imagery on the cardboard packaging. NCS crew are a bunch of sleuths like that. The set is a replica of the Isle of Lewis ivory chess pieces which are currently on display in the British Museum in London (67 pieces) and in the National Museum in Edinburgh, Scotland (11 pieces). The 78 chess pieces were discovered on the Isle of Lewis in Scotland's Outer Hebrides islands circa 1831 by a short roaming Scotsman. In the recreation from Kaiyodo, the chess pieces are sculpted to match the originals in height (5cm) with exacting details recreated on each piece. The chess board measures 11" on each side and is of the checkered fold-out variety. The assemblage of sculpted pieces are carefully packaged inside on two layers of cushioning to protect them from the tribulations of the postal and private courier system. As a bonus, the British Museum book "The Lewis Chessmen" is included inside the package. View larger photos of this item on the main NCSX website. This document is ©NCSX 2006. All rights reserved. No reproduction in whole or in part of this document may be made without express written consent of National Console Support, Inc. Text from the back of the manufacturer packaging:
Found in mysterious circumstances on the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides in 1831, the twelfth-century Lewis chessmen have captivated audiences around the world ever since. They were concealed in a stone chamber within a sand dune for reasons that will never be known. Their enduring appeal has secured their position as the most celebrated chesspieces in the world, a fame that was reinforced recently by a marvelous scene in the film Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone™ (Warner Bros, 2001). In the Great Hall of Hogwarts, Harry Potter and Ron Weasley familiarize themselves with the game of wizard chess. For this scene, the filmmakers used a replica set of the Lewis chessmen. The red and white set featured in the film reflects the original colouration of the pieces. However, the fragile dye that stained them has long ago disappeared. The beautifully carved kings, queens, bishops, knights and foot soldiers (rooks) have frequently been associated in the popular imagination with the forces of magic. The earliest accounts of their discovery invoke images of faerie folk, sprites and goblins. Chess is a war game which originated in India in around the sixth century AD; from it inception, it was used to refine strategic thinking on the battlefield. Stories of famous chess games where the stakes were high were circulated throughout India, Persia and medieval Europe. In these stories kingdoms were lost and young princes or knights stoof to lose their lives if they failed to win the game.
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