Acknowledgements and thanks
For their advice and encouragement to Tony Pizzey, as he conceived the design we thank Leighton Clark, Gerald Buchanan and Vic Feathers. To our creators, for contributing their time, expertise and creative flair, integral in making The Cotham Chess Set a reality.
Tony was my eccentric and inspiring father and I miss him terribly. My lovely wife Sarah has been a huge support in helping me complete a five year project to complete the circle he started and show the world just one of his amazing projects.
Jonathan Rowley, was the manager of Digits 2 Widgets a 3D printing company in Camden when we first met him.
We were not sure of the reception we would get when we visited as we thought the response maybe
entirely of a technical nature but he completely understood the personal motivation of the project and was impressed with our intention to use 3D printing as part of the process rather than as an outcome.
He inspired us to develop the project further and put us in touch with ceramicist Kate Luck.
Paul Stubbs is a prolific and highly knowledgeable potter living in Somerset.
He was recommended to us and we were delighted to have found the right person.
His experience and skills were invaluable when we created the first five chess sets from the original moulds.
He loved the project and he was brilliant with the glazing.
Kate Luck, was working as a commercial ceramicist in London when we first met her.She has now chosen to settle outside of London with her young family.
She made all of the new moulds and worked with Dovydas on the design of the new resin master copies. She expertly cast and fettled 3200 chess piecesfor us and probably more than that. She guided us through the whole process and clearly shard our passion.
Dovydas Pocious, was the resident 3D computer technician we were introduced to at Digits 2 Widgets in Camden.
He was warm, friendly and supportive and highly skilled.
We watched in wonder as he made adjustments to the scanned originals. He rejuvenated and printed new master copies for all of the chess piece designs.
He solved problems that we thought could not be solved.
Sophie Deakin she was working for John Tucker Carpentry in Glastonbury when we met her.
John is a prolific carpenter and has a workshop with CNC laser machines.
He made the first version of the chess box for us and was very supportive of our project.
Sophie is a brilliant artist and technician. She designed the image on the chess box lid and engraved it.
Sophie refined the design of the interior lattice along with Simon Morris and lasercut each piece. She also CNC burnt the design on the boards and the logo.
Harry Brockway is a well known and highly respected wood engraver who has illustrated
many books particularly for the folio society. He is also a stone mason.
He happens to live in Somerset. He knows my mums work and we asked him to wood
engrave the main image for the
Cotham Chess Set Logo which he did beautifully.
Simon Morris is a highly skilled bespoke cabinet maker in Wells, Somerset.
He has been a mainstay in the development of the chess box, boards and the interior lattice.
He is a perfectionist and responsible for the brilliant finishing touches such as the magnet that holds the lid closed and the tiny refinements to the lattice. Simon came up with the idea of using felt for the interior.
He sourced and treated all of the wood as well as making all of the boxes and boards.
Catherine Hornsby was working as a freelance graphic designer in Somerset when we approached her for a logo design.
She liaised with us, getting it just right. Harry Brockway wood engraving was incorporated into a really strong professional design.
We were given several different formats and even a reverse version. We are delighted with how the logo was resolved.
Amelia Goode is a professional seamstress and knitwear specialist. After graduating from Manchester School of Art in 2019 she took a full-time position at Calm Amongst the Chaos as Design and Sewing Assistant and was later promoted to Workshop Manager. She has her own small business called Mamie Knitwear.
She is highly skilled in all aspects of tailoring expertly and patiently helped with the finishing touches to to the interior lattices.
Paul Wheeler, is a prolific potter and respected teacher in Farnham. He is an advisor on
The Great Pottery Throw Down and makes ceramic props for films. He has been an invaluable
support for the technical aspects of the project moving forwards. He is also a very friendly chap.
Harry Pizzey is Tony ’s grandson. He is a trained architect and theatre set designer and was brave enough to pour stoneware slip into the 50 year old plaster moulds to start the project. He is now developing a reputation as an artist in his own right.
He has followed the project from the start and has learned a huge amount from his grandfather.
Myrtle Pizzey is a fantastic artist in her own right. She has established a reputation as a highly skilled linocut artist.
She has also championed her late husbands work and she has advised and supported throughout the project and has travelled with us to meet many of the makers. It is pleasure to see the delight on her face when she sees what these amazing people can do!