If you do, you can bid for the Bobby Fischer’s Chess Library. Here are the details:
Sale 17109 – Fine Books and Manuscripts, 10 Jun 2009 New York
FISCHER, ROBERT JAMES “BOBBY.” 1943-2008.
Estimate: $50,000 – 80,000
BOBBY FISCHER’S CHESS LIBRARY, INCLUDING NOTEBOOKS PREPARED FOR THE 1972 WORLD CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP.
Comprising:
1. Approximately 320 volumes on chess including a few match results, various places and languages (including many Soviet imprints), 1889-1992, mostly 8vo, original bindings. Includes about a dozen presentation copies, inscribed by the authors for Fischer and two typed letters signed laid in. At least three volumes bear Fischer’s ownership signature and at least two with other notation by Fischer.
2. Approximately 400 issues of chess-related periodicals, including runs of The Chess Player, Sahovski Informator, Overboard, Revista SAH, “Waxmatbl”, and “Magyar Sakkelet” among others, mostly 1960s-1980s, various sizes, original wrappers.
3. Nine personal floppy disks (unexamined).
4. Three sets of proofs for Fischer’s My 60 Memorable Games (published 1969), with the title in various stages (“My Memorable Games: 52 Tournament Games”, “My Life in Chess”) comprising a typescript with copious technical annotations, mostly printers notes, but also various changes to wording and corrections to the chess notation possibly made by Fischer, with a sketch of the title-page on drafting paper apparently in Fischer’s hand; a set of page proofs (loose, possibly in duplicate); and a partially annotated galley proof stamped June 1966.
5. Four volumes of bound typescript detailing the match history of Boris Spassky from the 1950s to 1971 (two vols as white, two as black), apparently prepared by “RGW” and with some manuscript commentary.
6. Fifteen volumes of ring- or string-bound manuscript notebooks with notation of the games of Mark Taimanov and Tigran Petrossian from the 1950s-1970, various hands. Condition varies, generally a bit musty and a few volumes water-damaged but otherwise good or better.
Here is the full description. Special thanks to Scott Knoke for sending us the info.
That’s an impressive collection. I hope his family will get the money.
It would be interesting to know what’s on those floppy disks…
No, the money is going to the IRS for repaying Fischer’s debt. You know, the taxes Fischer “forgot” to pay.
I recognize the red ‘Weltgeschichte des Schachs – Spassky’ games collection book with Spasskys best games that Fischer used for his 1972 match preparation…
The collection belongs in a US Chess Museum, or on permanent display at the USCF head office – if only they had one to be proud of!
prepared by “RGW” – is of course refering to Robert Graham Wade – who prepared the files on Spassky’s games for Fischer in 1972 and 1992 !
This is some of the stuff that was stolen from Bobby Fischer’s storeage locker which lead to his infamous Radio interviews, where is was clear he was very distress of these events.
These items should be returned to the family
Agree those items should go back to his rightful family members.
“It would be interesting to know what’s on those floppy disks…”
The contents have the complete manifesto of the Voice of Reason and its plans to have Sloan turned into cow dung fertilizer..
I will buy this with my Pesos!
I hope the Cleveland Public Library buys all this.
The Floppy Disc’s are the ones refered to in “Finding Bobby Fischer” from NiCBase and Spassky games, hand delieved to Fischer at his 92 Match.
Interesting to note the items up for auction.
These are of a small part of what was stolen from “Fischer’s Storeage locker”.
The Best Stuff is long gone including Fischer’s famous notebooks on the Karpov vs Kasparov Matches, Gold Coin collection, Letters from Presidents and other private correspondence, and many more very valueable items.
Does the person selling these items legally own them?
Be careful if you are buying them… if it’s not legally owned by the seller, you risk losing your money.
If these are items from his locker that was broken into, please return them to Fischer’s family.
Or, Susan, you could do a fund-raiser, and the chess community could buy it and either put them in a museum or return it to Fischer’s family.
It’s a shame what people will do.
I am in accordance with aam, a fund raiser is in order. What is on the discs could become public domain. I am NOT well to do but would contribute $50.
Whatever the legal merits of Mr. Fischer’s complaints that these items were illegally taken from his storage locer, we’ll never know since he chose not to pursue legal action against the storage company, the person who was supposed to pay the storage fees, or the person(s) who purchased the lot of goods sold by the storage company for past-due rent.
As to the legalities of the situation, the person(s) who purchased the lot of goods at the time has full legal title, and can do whatever he/she/they wish to do with the items.
Sad, but true. The family of Mr. Fischer receives no financial benefit from this auction at all.
Jan Newton
Goddeschess.com