History, Design and Creation of Chessmen for Woodworkers, Woodturners, Collectors and Chess Players.

Turned Chessmen is the fifth book in Mike Darlow's color woodturning series, and the first of the series' project books. It describes the history, design and making of turned-particularly wood-chessmen. It will appeal especially to chess set collectors, chess players, woodworkers and woodturners.

Like other books in the series, Turned Chessmen is exceptionally well-illustrated using more than 40 drawings and diagrams, and 280 photographs and copies of historic engravings. Detailed drawings provide guidance on designing chess sets, and the extensive section on woodturning techniques explains the process of creating chessmen through a series of color photos and diagrams.

Inside you'll find:
- A History of Chess: provides the reader with a detailed history of chess and chessmen from the invention of chess in India in about A.D. 550 to the present.
- Gallery: a colorful collection of sets by six of today's masters will provide inspiration to the reader.
- Piece Symbols: readers will learn of the origin and design of the symbols used to signify the six chess pieces-such as the king's crown and the knight's horse head-and will learn how the design of the pieces communicates that they belong to a particular set, belong to the black or white side, and are a particular piece.
- Designing Chess Sets: starting from the inception of the idea, it covers intentions, restraints, preliminary design and detailed design.
- Drawings for Chess Sets: features the drawings of the author's Lopez design and of the pieces of 9 antique chess sets.
- Making Chessmen: includes information on materials, equipment, turning procedures, preparation, roughing, finish turning, carving, ornamenting and texturing, sanding, decoration, finishing and more.