Staunton Design Chess Set

Staunton Design Chess Set

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Reference

30031

Antique Staunton Style Chess Figures.
A Staunton style chess set with wooden chess pieces with wide turned bases for added stability, and 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. Two kings (being the tallest pieces at 8.3 cm 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 (towers, castles) with a crenellation top and the four Bishops with mitres. The sixteen Pawns are the smallest pieces at 4 cm high and are topped by a plain ball. All the pieces with a collar except the rooks and knights.
Size shown is for the box.

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.

Dimensions:

Height 8 cm / 3 14"
Width 19.5 cm / 7 34"
Depth 10.5 cm / 4 "
Period

1900-1949

Year

Circa 1930's

Medium

Wood

Country

United Kingdom

Condition

All pieces are in good order, no visible damage or repairs.

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