Chess and the Killer Klowns

Here on Top eBay Chess Items by Price, you know things are slow when I feature a chess set. You know things are really slow when I feature two chess sets in a row. Last time we had Diderot Chess, and this time we have the summer doldrums.

The item pictured below was titled 'Custom-made horror movie chess table pieces -- Lugosi Chaney Killer Klowns monsters'. It sold for US $3500, 'Buy-It-Now'. Why would anyone pay four figures for a one-of-a-kind chess set without having any idea what it is really worth? Beats me, so there must be a story somewhere.

The description said,

One-of-a-kind, amazing homage to the horror genre. All the pieces are hand-crafted in the image of classic monsters such as Frankenstein, Dracula, Medusa, Godzilla, etc. The pawns are crafted in the image of Igor from "Young Frankenstein".

The board and accompanying coffin to hold pieces are adorned with classic characters and themes from various movies ("Killer Klowns from Outer Space", "Bride of Frankenstein", etc), most of them hand-painted or carved.

Coffin for holding pieces slides firmly in a space below the table top onto a ledge which has a painted fiery, satanic pentagram. The coffin is covered with printed marquee promos for various movies. Oak, poplar and Asian white woods were used in creating this painted table.

Officially titled 'Scary Monsters, Super Creeps', this is truly an amazing piece for horror film fans. Pieces range in height from 4 1/2" to 11" tall. The board is 37" in diameter. The coffin is 33" long, 13" across and 10 1/5" high.

In eBay's list of 'Top Chess Items by Price', which lists all items sold over the last three months, this monster mash is currently listed at no.2. Nos.1 & 3 are items I featured a few months ago in Capablanca Letters++. No.4 is the item from 'Diderot Chess'. That must be some sort of a hat trick for this blog series.