Italy  (Europe)

Italy. The first set is identified by the moulded marks on rear base of each piece, stating "DEPOSE ITALY" with the spider mark of Fontanini. In the pictures you can see it at the white Knight. Only producing 1,500 sets, these pieces are cast in the famous Fontanini cast resin. Sets of this theme do exist with antique gold and silver finishes as well. The design is by Elio Simonetti.

The second set has exactly the same figures, so I assume the design is of Elio Simonetti as well and its origin is Italy and not Spain as said by auctioneer.

Italy. In 1912 Josef Anton Riffeser founded the ANRI Company, which he named using the first two letters of his first and last name. Josef’s wife, Carolina Riffeser ran the company during the difficult years of war and the absence of her husband. When Anton Adolf Riffeser took over in 1945, he transformed the ANRI company, adopting a more industrial model which allowed for better quality control and distribution to new markets. He was followed by Ernst Riffeser who was able to enlist the services of many well known artists including Juan Ferràndiz, Sarah Kay and others. The ANRI company today is run by Thomas Riffeser, and still remains in the same family.

Italy. This bust set was bought in Florence during the 1977 match between Petrosjan and Kortsnoj in Il Ciocco. The manufacturer is unknown to me. The material is a light weight kind of plastic or resin, intended to look as wood. I’m not sure whether the pieces are hollow or solid. Maybe it is a replica of an old chess set, but it can also be a new creation.

Italy. The Alabaster set is sometimes said being from China, but that's not true as these pictures tell:

The "Chiellini" (C A.&A.) company is famous in all the world for it's production of chess boards, chess men in Alabaster stone.