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Switzerland  (Europe)

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Switzerland. Bears have a long and rather one-sided relationship enjoyed with Switzerland's capital Bern. According to a legend has Berthold V of Zähringen Bern named after the first animal that was killed at a yacht during the Foundation of the city in 1191. The 1923 Edition of Muirhead's Switzerland explains: whatever the real relationship of the word bear and Bern is, the figure of a bear appears on the oldest known city seal (1224), and by the city paid living bears are held in Bern since 1513 (except for a short period when French took them to Paris in 1798).

The very pretty 1st set came in a very nice box. Not a chess box of course. The 2nd set came in its original box with a label stating 1840 and centimes 16. Not sure how much that would be today.

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  • Switzerland, "Bears of Bern"
  • 1st half 19th century
  • Pear K 8.5; p 5.9
  • Box 21.2×21.1×10.3
« of 4 »
  • Switzerland, "Bears of Bern"
  • 1840 (box dated)
  • Pear + cherry? K 9.5; p 6.8
  • Box/board 31.4×31.5×5.6

Switzerland. The 3rd set listed is a modern wood cut chess set.

« of 3 »
  • Switzerland, Bern
  • 1982
  • Wood K 7.9; p 5.3