Product Code:
MENCOL40
Rating:
95 % of 100

The Collector Series Plastic Chess Pieces - 4.0" King

'Crafted to replicate the design and proportions of the original Staunton pattern Chessmen, registered by Nathaniel Cooke in March of 1849 and first manufactured by Jaques of London in September 1849''
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Product Description

"Crafted to replicate the design and proportions of the original Staunton pattern Chessmen, registered by Nathaniel Cooke in March of 1849 and first manufactured by Jaques of London in September 1849"

 

The House of Staunton is proud to offer the Collector Series Plastic Chess set. This full-tournament sized Premium Plastic Chess set features a 4.0" King with a 1.875" diameter base. The Chess pieces are the heaviest sets on the market with felt base pads on the undersides of the Chessmen.

 

The Collector Series Plastic Chess set has been crafted to replicate the design and proportions of the original Staunton pattern Chessmen, registered by Nathaniel Cooke in March of 1849 and first manufactured by Jaques of London in September 1849. The distinctive feature of this set is the the open-mitered Bishop and Knight design, which is modeled after the noble steeds from the Greek Parthenon (Elgin Marbles.)

Product Specifications
More Information
ISBN Does not apply
Chess Board Included? The Chess Board featured is for photographic purposes only and must be purchased separately
Material(s) Plastic
Weighting Quadruple Weighted
King Height 4.0'' inch / 10.16 cm
King Base Diameter 1.875'' inch / 4.76 cm
Recommended Chess Board Size 2.375" inch / 6.0 cm, 2.5" inch / 6.4 cm
Basepad Material Billiard Cloth
Median Set Weight 56.1 ounces
Total Number of Pieces 34 Chess Pieces, including 2 Additional Queens (for Pawn Promotion)
History of the Chess Pieces
As with all of our Chessmen, the Collector Series Plastic Chess set exemplifies a perfect combination of distinct beauty and functionality. It has been designed to withstand the rigors of practical play while maintaining an elegance which has become the hallmark of a House of Staunton chess set. The design, quality and craftsmanship of this set is UNMATCHED by any set of Chessmen in its price range. Nothing even comes close! The Chessmen are new and each set consists of 34 Chessmen, including four Queens, a standard that was introduced by The House of Staunton over 10 years ago. The increased interest in the game of Chess, particularly in international play during the late 18th century and early 19th century, brought about a renewed demand for a more universal model for chess pieces. The variety and styles of the conventional form begun in the 15th century had expanded tremendously by the beginning of the nineteenth century. Some of the more common conventional types popular during the period included the English Barleycorn chess set, the St. George chess set, the French Regence chess set, and the central European Selenus chess set. Most pieces were tall, unweighted, easily tipped and cumbersome during play. But their major disadvantage was the uniformity of the pieces within a set. A player's unfamiliarity with an opponent's set could tragically alter the outcome of a game. By the early decades of the 19th century, there was a great need for a chess set whose pieces were easy to use and universally recognized by chess players of all backgrounds. The solution emerged in 1849 with the introduction of a new pattern Chess set that was registered by Nathaniel Cook and manufactured by the firm John Jaques of London. The Chess Set, which had the endorsement of the British Chess Champion Howard Staunton, became known as the Staunton Chessmen and were soon the standard on which most tournament playing sets have been made. That traditional is proudly continued on to this day by the The House of Staunton.
Customer Reviews
  1. Big and Very Heavy! Excellent Appearance!
    Rating
    100%
    The Collector Series Plastic Chess Pieces - 4.0" King

    This set of chess pieces is large and especially heavy. It is the heaviest set I have encountered until now. It is even a little heavier than a 3.75in zinc set I have measured. The pieces are very well proportioned over the whole set and thus are very nice in appearance.

    I measure all of my chess sets. The manufacturing variances from House of Staunton for plastic chess sets are generally quite consistent for shape dimensions and fairly consistent for weight. Here are my measurements for this chess set (tolerances +/- .25mm and +/- .5 grams):

    -King Base Diameter: 48mm
    -King Height (not including basepad): 102.5mm
    -Weight of Whole Set (including extra queens, if applicable): 1696g
    -Does the Set Include Extra Queens?: Yes
    -Board Square Size for King Base 75% to 80% of Square: 2-3/8in AND 2-1/2in
    -USCF Tournament Suitable: Yes

    Review by turkeyboy

    Posted on

  2. Make Sure your board is the correct size
    Rating
    80%
    The Pieces are really great, I have some stylistic qualms, but that's minor and personal preference.
    If you plan on buying these pieces, make sure you have a board larger than the standard 2.25"; while the pieces will fit on the board, it's a tight squeeze and the pieces, especially the king become crowded.
    The pieces were also poorly constructed with some minor cosmetic issues like warping and poor plastic trimming, still great otherwise, very heavy and comfortable in the hand.

    Review by Nathaniel

    Posted on

  3. Collector Series Plastic Chess Pieces Excellent
    Rating
    100%
    I have both the Fischer Series & the Collector Series sets. Both are excellent replicas (style and proportion} to the 1849 Cooke | Staunton set; todays standard.
    The Collector Series is superior to the Fischer Series in that the proportions are more exact (king's cross a little smaller, Queen's crown a little larger), and the open knights and bishops have better detailing, and are more precise.
    The Collector Series 4" King set is elegant, stylish, solid, and I really like the neutral color for 'white'.

    marcushh777

    Review by marcushh777

    Posted on

  4. Beautiful Chessmen, the Collector edition has fine weight, design, and elegance. For the price-point an excellent product for all levels of experience.
    Rating
    100%
    Great Product

    Review by Marcus

    Posted on

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