I'm not much of a chess player, but I love the game--as the ultimate strategy sport, and as also as a metaphor. And as a huge fan of Duchamp, a chess devotee whose whole oeuvre can be read as a series of chess moves, all things chess related feel Duchampian to me. So I had to bring these home, ledgers turned chess scrapbooks, which sold me on their covers alone: "Chess Problems, 1892" and "Chess Games Played by the Masters in International Tournaments, Compiled by Irving Halcomb, 1902-04." And indeed that is just what they are, page after page filled with clipped newspaper published game boards, and list after list of the moves of each player in specific matches, along the brief news stories reporting on matches, which make each move sound like high drama. (For example, the headline "Steinitz again beaten by an oversight...Steinitz tells the tale of his disaster." Surely there is a chess aficianado out there who needs these!
Sold as a pair. 1892 ledger is 10" x 7 7/8"; 1902-4 is 9 3/4" x 7 3/4". 1st completely full, 14 leaves filled densely on both sides of page. 2nd nearly full, with 28 leaves filled front and back. Plenty of wear to covers and spines and general aging/toning to clippings, but holding together and pages/clippings in good shape, all very well adhered and completely readable.
