Chess Mates

Dr. George and Vivian Dean exhibit
their ar t ful board game collection at
the Janice Charach Epstein Gallery.

SUZANNE CHESSLER

Special to the Jewish News

A set uses
shofar-shaped pieces
as its main
components.

o matter where Vivian and Dr. George Dean travel — including
very modern cities internationally — the two consider each experi-
ence a safari.
The term safari is used loosely because animals are not at the center of
their sights. This husband-and-wife team hunts chess sets for a collection
that started 40 years ago during a visit to Israel.
The Deans enjoy the beauty of the pieces they have captured and have set
aside a room in their home to display what they have found. One viewer,
Ceil Singer, was so taken with the pieces that she suggested a public exhibi-
tion at the Janice Charach Epstein Gallery in West Bloomfield, where she is
a board member.
That suggestion has led to "The Art of the Game: Chess Sets from the
Collection of Dr. George and Vivian Dean." It will be on view Aug. 11-
Sept. 25 on the first floor of the gallery, with Dr. Dean giving a lecture on
the significance of the sets at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 8.
"We will be showing 26 sets from our collection," explains Dr. Dean, 73,
a family practice physician based in Southfield. "Some of them have a
Jewish connection while others represent diverse geographic regions and
demonstrate the universality of interest in the game.
The Deans, whose collection holds more than 1,000 pieces spanning
3,000 years, will be showing a set with kings and queens representing bibli-
cal Israel, a set with shofars as the main components and a set specifically
made without crosses for a Jewish family.
The Deans, married for 53 years, have amassed special chess pieces, game
boards, related sculptures and paintings in addition to entire sets. The work
of Detroit sculptor Arthur Schneider is part of the couple's holdings, which
are often made from precious metals, rare materials and semiprecious stones.

"

This chess king
represents
biblical Israel.

CHESS MATES on page 28

8/11

2005

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