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Lee Harvey Oswald’s Chess Set Used in the Army

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles / Autographs Start Price:NA
Lee Harvey Oswald’s Chess Set Used in the Army

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Auction Date:2013 Oct 24 @ 12:00 (UTC-5 : EST/CDT)
Location:60 School Street, Boston, Massachusetts, 02108, United States
ALS - Autograph Letter Signed
ANS - Autograph Note Signed
AQS - Autograph Quotation Signed
AMQS - Autograph Musical Quotation Signed
DS - Document Signed
FDC - First Day Cover
Inscribed - “Personalized”
ISP - Inscribed Signed Photograph
LS - Letter Signed
SP - Signed Photograph
TLS - Typed Letter Signed
Oswald’s personally-owned and -used chess set. Set consists of 28 red and off-white plastic pieces. The white pieces are: king, queen, two castles, two knights, 1 bishop, and 7 pawns; red pieces consist of a king, queen, two castles, one knight, two bishops, and seven pawns. Pieces come in their original burgundy leather-textured box which measures 6.5 x 4 x 2. A gilt knight is imprinted on the cover which is heavily worn at the hinge and is entirely detached from the box. The snap button is present on the front side but the strap attached to the cover, which would fold over to the snap closing the box, is missing. “TOURNAMENT / CHESSMEN / BY / LOWE” is embossed inside the cover. In fine condition. Oswald’s mother testified before the President’s Commission on the Assassination of President John F. Kennedy in Washington, DC, on the morning of February 12, 1964, and testified, “Lee played Monopoly. Lee played chess. Lee had a stamp collection, and even wrote to other young men and exchanged stamps, sir.” Also in a sworn affidavit by Richard Dennis Call to the Warren Commission dated May 20, 1964, stated: “From December, 1958, to December, 1959, I was stationed with Marine Air Control Squadron #9, Lighter Than Air Station, Santa Ana, California. During this time I made the acquaintance of Lee Harvey Oswald…Oswald spent a great deal of time reading. I do not remember what he read, because he never talked about it. He also spent a great deal of time playing chess. I played chess with him about once a week; we were of approximately equal ability…I had a chess set which contained red and white chessmen; Oswald always chose the red chessmen, making some remark to the effect that he preferred the ‘Red Army.’” A game of immense strategy referenced twice in the Warren Commission’s report, with an unusual relation to Oswald’s political views.