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How much are hand carved intricate chess sets worth?
Recently picked one up for $13 at an estate sale, I honestly don't believe this woman knew what she had. Hand carved backgammon/chess set. Folds up. Very intricately made, was wondering if anyone knew approximately what it's worth? I know chess set collectors will pay top dollar for nice boards. Thanks!
4 Answers
usually you need a soft wood for hand carving...

machines can carve harder woods (and you get better quality)

brand new chess pieces can cost $100...$200...$300

hand carved sets are usually cheaper.....unless it was hand carved from ivory??

value??.....im guessing $50 (because its a cheaper & softer wood)
Hi. To figure out what you have, search antique chess dealers and antique chess collectors online.
You can either search their catalogues to find something similar or a few offer appraisal services in this area of expertise.

If you want to try to have it appraised online go to this site: http://www.valu…

They appraised an old set of mine that had been in my family for years. They are very reasonably priced and it turned out to be worth much more than I expected. Hope the same is true for yours!

Good luck and hope that helps.
the chess set you have could go anywhere from 100 dollars to 1000 dollars depends on the person and how much they are willing to pay for it. If I were you i would take it somewhere to get an appraisal of the worth of the board
Suggestions:

1) Look in the Yellow Pages under "Appraisers." Often they will include their specialty in the listing. Check they're standing with the Better Business Bureau (bbb.org).

2) When presenting your chess set, don't say that you don't know anything about it. Simply say, "Tell me what you think about this."

3) Look for groups like the American Society of Appraisers and the International Society of Appraisers, which are self-governing organizations that provide consumers with information.

4) Beware of the appraiser who offers to buy your item after appraising it, especially if you've never conducted business together before. Unscrupulous people may lowball your estimate to get a better deal.
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