From a bookplate point of view chess is a treasure of symbols from the chessboard to the army of chessmen composed of eight officers and eight foot soldiers.
The noble game has inspired authors as well as graphic designers of bookplate motifs. “Chess Bookplates” was printed in Bookplate International 1999 and a number of offprints (36 pages, 49 exlibris) are available ─ click Contact and send an email.
Lewis Carroll’s Through the Looking Glass is structured as a game of chess: each move represents important events in the book. In the beginning of the game Alice meets the Red Queen in a landscape with trees and towers illustrated by the Danish advertising designer Per Christensen. Take note that “Skovenborg” means “Castle in the wood”.
The Rod of Asclepius as coat of arms for the Knight suggests my profession.
With these clues to hand you may spot the chess symbols in my coat of arms designed by Roger Barnes.
With chess pawns as French vignerons Per Christensen hints my obsession with wine.
