Gunnar Magnússon (b. Olafsfjödur 1933)
“The Chess Match of All Time”. Bobby Fischer vs Boris Spassky, Reykjavik 1972. Extra chessboard of rosewood and birch made for the match in Reykjavik 1972. Later standard chess pieces included. Signed by Fischer and Spassky. Certificate from the Icelandic Chess Foundation issued October 14, 2024 and a stamped postcard from 1972 included. Made by cabinetmaker Ragnar Haraldsson. Chessboard: 45.6×45.6 cm.
Provenance: Family of Gunnar Magnússon.
The legendary match took place 53 years ago, when the reigning Russian World Champion Boris Spassky was challenged by the American GM Bobby Fischer. The venue was Laugardalshöll Arena in Reykjavik, midway between Moscow and Washington, at the peak of the Cold War. Thus, the match became a symbol of the political confrontation between the two superpowers. The present chessboard is one of 10 copies made for the legendary match and was accepted by the players themselves as a replacement for the original stone board.
Modern decorative art and design, 27 March 2025