Made in China, possibly Canton, this carved ivory chess set offers evidence of lucrative dealings with distant ports. Its one-time owner was John Donnell (1754-1827), a native of Ireland who made a fortune as a merchant and privateer in American waters. Rejoicing in his commercial success, Donnell occupied and furnished Willow Brook, a late 18th-century Federal villa overlooking the Patapsco River west of Baltimore’s early city limits. The oval parlor from Willow Brook is now in the BMA, along with numerous pieces of the family’s service of Chinese export porcelain. Modern chess sets, such as the one depicted by Jacob Lawrence in the picture nearby, were often made of less exotic materials, such as wood or plastic.