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Vintage Staunton Chess Sets

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Vintage Staunton Chess Set Reproductions

This selection of chess sets represents some of the finest we have to offer. They feature our range of reproduction Staunton chess pieces from key years in the history of this iconic and amazing chess set. The pieces have been expertly crafted using the same techniques and tooling as the original versions from all those years ago. Each set perfectly represents the exact design that was sold is the relevant year. After their conception in the mid 1800s the Staunton pattern chessmen underwent various changes and iterations. We have picked some of the most famous and collectible versions and had these exact reproductions created. The attention to detail on the sets is extremely good. They were produced using actual antique examples which were then measured and copied exactly. There are no finer Staunton chessmen available. Each piece is crafted from Indian ebony or boxwood, internally weighted for perfect balance and then felted with billiard cloth. We have combined these pieces with classic boards and storage cases to create some of our finest luxury Staunton chess sets to date. We have selected the very best boards to complement the chessmen in terms of size, wood tone and style.

1849 Staunton Chess Set – The ‘Cook’ set

The 1849 set is a precise representation of the very first Staunton pattern set. Also known as the Cook set because of the involvement with Nathanial Cook in the original design. Although we know that the design of the set involved Howard Staunton, Cook and the Jacques company, it is not known which one of the three actually designed it. The logical explanation would be that Cook designed it, Jacques made it and Staunton endorsed it.

Howard Staunton chess set

It is worth clarifying that Staunton himself was a chess player, a grand master and chess champion of the era. He never manufactured the sets and there never was a company called Staunton who made chess sets. His involvement was initially as an endorsee and consultant. He absolutely loved the design of the set and claimed it was the best set for ensuring a fair and honest game of chess. Prior to the Staunton set coming into existence Staunton had already made comments about how inconsistent designs of chess set could affect the outcomes of the games. It was common practice for those hosting a tournament to provide their own nationally designed sets which their foreign opponents were completely unfamiliar with. The Staunton set gave the player what they needed, instant recognition of each piece without having to think. It presented the opportunity of a level playing field in the game of chess and not surprisingly was universally adopted by the global chess community.

Jacques chess set

The Jacques chess sets of the mid 1800s arguably defined modern chess pieces and had a huge impact on the chess scene. To this day the classic design of the Staunton Chess Set they developed remains the unrivalled industry standard. Today Jacques no longer manufactures their own Staunton Chessmen, instead importing the pieces from existing specialist manufacturers abroad. The same designs in modern and vintage specification are also available from other retailers including ourselves. We stock a range of super reproduction vintage Staunton chess sets that are identical to the original Jacques sets that are so sought after.


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