Staunton Design Chess Set

Staunton Design Chess Set

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Reference

29015

Vintage Staunton Style Chess Figures.
An early 20th century Staunton style chess set in original mahogany box with sliding lid. The set has boxwood and ebonized figures with turned wide bases for added stability, the underside of each piece being covered with felt allowing the pieces to slide more easily across the chess board. The chess set comprises of thirty-two pieces, four Knights featuring the head and neck of a horse with glass eyes. Two kings (being the tallest pieces at 3 ½" high) both with a stylised crown topped with a cross whilst the two Queens feature a coronet topped with a tiny ball. The four Rooks are towers (castles) with a crenelation top and the four Bishops with mitres. The sixteen Pawns are the smallest pieces at 2" high and are topped by a plain ball. All the pieces with a collar except the rooks and knights.

Staunton chess sets were first made available by Jaques to the general public on 29th September 1849 and quickly became the standard style. The journalist Nathaniel Cooke (editor for the Illustrated London News) had registered his design earlier that year at the Patent Office on 1 March and named the style after the leading English chess master at the time, Howard Staunton. Staunton published chess articles for the Illustrated London News and was asked to endorse the chess sets by Cooke. The first 500 Jaques sets were numbered and hand-signed by Staunton who promoted the product for Jaques and ridiculed and disrespected all other designs of chessmen.

The bone inlaid folding chess/backgammon board photographed is not for sale.

Dimensions:

Height 9.5 cm / 3 34"
Width 14.5 cm / 5 34"
Depth 18.5 cm / 7 "
Period

1900-1949

Year

Early 20th Cent.

Medium

BoxwoodBoxwood

Country

United Kingdom

Condition

One pawn on either side is a replacement but hardly noticeable. Mahogany box with some repairs.

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