Someone is selling several personal effects of Bobby Fischer, the former world champion, on eBay.
Most of the collection, according to the list on the site, consists of chess books and magazines, many of them foreign, some of them inscribed by Mr. Fischer with his name.
Also included are an original manuscript for Mr. Fischer's "My 60 Memorable Games"; 20 small handwritten notebooks detailing the openings played by some of his top competitors; and legal papers surrounding his attempt to copyright a chess move.
In all, the seller says, the trove includes about 16 cardboard boxes full of material. The minimum bid is $15,000, and at least one has been received, from the Netherlands.
The auction, which started last Friday, ends on Monday. The seller said the material was bought at a flea market six years ago and evidently came from a storage locker that Mr. Fischer rented in Pasadena, Calif. The contents were seized for nonpayment of rent. Mr. Fischer went into a tirade about it several years ago in a radio interview with a Philippines radio station, saying the seizure was illegal.
The eBay offer (item number: 8736084948) is entitled "Bobby Fischer's chess
book collection and other items Purchased at a CA Flea Market, BF's storage
locker" and is described as follows:
"Purchased at a Southern California Flea market about 6 years ago, here are some
of Bobby Fischer's personal items presumably from the infamous storage locker,
which was said to have been sold for lack of rent payment. It is a unique
opportunity for someone in the International Chess community to preserve the
legacy of whom many feel is the most talented chess player of all time. I have
tried many times in the last few years to reach Mr. Fischer about these items,
but have had no response. Briefly summarized, what is being offered is:
1. The original manuscript and galley prints of Bobby's best selling book, "My
60 most memorable games" (originally titled, My life in Chess) This covers an
entire table top and contains numerous notes and corrections which shoud make
fasinating study for years to come. (Note, this is said to have been written on
a typewriter which he won at one of his early tournaments).
2. A ceramic plaque given to Bobby, Bahia Blanca, 3/11/71
3. About 20 meticulously crafted "crib" notes for tournament preparation: [long
list of subjects given]. Note, each book contains at least 50 games all written
by hand and categorized by opening moves.
4. Informates #2 to 38
5. About 300 foreign chess books (Bobby has been heard to say that he felt he
had one of the best collections anywhere) these are roughly divided between
modern as well as many older issues. Some are signed "Bobby Fischer"
6. About 200 English language Chess books, many inscribed :to Bobby with a
personal message. One is signed by his mother on his Birthday.
7. About 35 mint copies of Bobby's Book about being incarcerated in the Pasadena
Jail overnight.
8. An original manuscript of a Chess story "End Game" by Walsashek
9. Legal papers about Bobby's attempt to copywrite a Chess move
10. 2 boxes of non chess reading material containing a wide variety of
spiritual, political, religous, and other material of an extremely personal
nature.
11, For an example of the chess books, one box contains the following: [long
list of books and magazines given].
The entire collection is boxed in 17 cardboard boxes, with a total weight of
approximately ~500 lbs.