Chessville Site Reviews - Ultimate Chess Collecting

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Ultimate Chess Collecting
Reviewed by David Surratt, 11-26-2005

Presenting chess history at it's finest.
"The presentation of chess just got better"

Lawrence Totaro has developed a site dedicated to improving the presentation of chess history as documented in autographs and memorabilia. The site's Mission Statement says: "The presentation of chess just got better."

Lawrence's main purpose of chess collecting is not only to share his collection but the collections of others in a multimedia feature presentation: "I want people to be as close to chess history as possible. I feel that the presentation of chess is just as important as collecting or understanding the game. If we present chess in a new light more people will be inclined to play the game and to realize it's roots."

Totaro has been collecting for over five years now and has had over 150 autographs including the 13 world chess champions, over 30 chess sets and 25 original photographs. Other items include tobacco cards, magazines, and tickets, coins etc. "This is only the beginning," he says. "I have much more to collect and many more people to meet."

Lawrenceis a member of eight different associations that range from chess to autographs. As a collector/historian he is the youngest member of the Ken Whyld Association and CCI (Chess Collectors International.) He is also the manager to the Baysholiss group that features documents, autographs, and photographs for collectors around the world to analyze.

The site features very nice videos (Site note: If you are not using an updated version of Macromedia the videos will appear slow and very unclear; it will present itself relative to your computer and Internet settings.) including Video Interviews as well as a peek at some of Totaro's collection. But this site is not really about displaying the collection, as much as it is about displaying information on collecting itself, using audio, video, and slideshows. The site declares:

We will, within our experience, use our collection or various collections to compare/contrast the autographs of chess player's and provide, in full detail, why we think the signature is either original or phony/duplicate. A chess set, photograph, whatever you might have we'll try to estimate it's originality. Hope you enjoy this site as it is the first chess collecting / historical site of it's kind.

The site is relatively easy to navigate, although there are some pages that it may take a while to find, as there existence is not readily apparent. Still, a bit of searching and you can find what there is. Here's a screenshot from the introduction:

Navigation can occur from the links on the left or from the VRC-like controls at the bottom left corner. Note the scroll bar to the right, which controls the text in the right-hand frame.

Also included on the site are phone interviews with Dr. Michael Negele; Secretary of the Ken Whyld Association, and writer and historian, Allan Savage promised for next week. A GM Alexandra Kosteniuk interview can be heard at http://www.kosteniuk.com Podcast #4.

Book recommendations include David DeLucia's Chess Library, "the king of all chess collecting books with autographed letters, scoresheets, photos etc." Also, check out Ex Libris, written by Chess on Stamps Study Unit's president, Ray Alexis, "a soft- cover book that contains very nice etchings with colorful pictures!"

Here are some additional scenes from Ultimate Chess Collecting:

Las Vegas, Nevada Publicizing collectors' items is what we do best. This particular set-up was displayed at the Sahara West Library in Las Vegas, Nevada.

	World Chess Hall of Fame Sharon Samole sent us some amazing photos regarding the memorabilia that is currently displayed at the Hall of Fame. You will notice Lawrence Totaro sponsored his favorite player Emanuel Lasker.

Ultimate Chess Collector Remember, a collector is someone who collects for the love of collecting while preserving for the future. But an ultimate collector is the one who has the ability to authenticate it! This high-tech fire proof safe is under surveillance 24 hours 7 days a week. Applying advanced technology, one can only enter the room using a 21st century fingerprint hand-recognition system with a social security number.

My overall assessment is that Ultimate Chess Collecting needs further development as a site, which no doubt will come with time. Meanwhile, if collecting is your thing. then you will want to bookmark this site. Visit now - just click on the banner below:

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