The Mammoth Ivory Collector Series Luxury Chess Pieces - 4.4" King
'Crafted from 40,000-year old Woolly Mammoth Ivory, they capture the exquisite design and proportions of the original Staunton pattern Chess set, registered by Nathaniel Cooke and produced by Jaques of London in 1849.''
"Crafted from 40,000-year old Woolly Mammoth Ivory, they capture the exquisite design and proportions of the original Staunton pattern Chess set, registered by Nathaniel Cooke and produced by Jaques of London in 1849."
To pamper you, The House of Staunton is proud to offer the Mammoth Ivory Collector Series Signature Chess set. A full Club-sized Chess set, it features a 4.4" King with a 2.0" diameter base. The Chess pieces are hand carved by our master artisans and crafted out of the finest materials. Because of the natural weight of Mammoth Ivory, the pieces have an excellent feel that does not require any artificial weighting.
All 34 Chess pieces are crafted from Mammoth Ivory. The Black army is crafted from Mammoth Ivory that has been lacquered black to provide the perfect amount of contrast. The Chess pieces are presented au natural, with nothing on the underside of the pieces. This is done intentionally to allow the Chess players the opportunity to appreciate the magnificent grain of the Mammoth Ivory.
The Chessmen are new and each set consists of 34 Chessmen, including four Queens, a standard that was introduced by The House of Staunton in 1993.
The Chess Set comes with a Individually Numbered Certificate of Authenticity and an original manufacturer's label indicating the production number, with an adhesive backing that would allow it to be affixed to the underside of a Chess box.
The Chess Board featured is for photographic purposes only and must be purchased separately
Material(s)
Mammoth Ivory
Fitted Coffer Compatible?
Fits in Fitted Coffer
Weighting
Solid Mammoth Ivory - No Additional Weighting
King Height
4.4'' inch / 11.18 cm
King Base Diameter
2.0'' inch / 5.0 cm
Recommended Chess Board Size
2.5" inch / 6.4 cm
Basepad Material
Because the Pieces are Mammoth Ivory, there are no basepads to allow you to appreciate the beauty of the Mammoth Ivory
Total Number of Pieces
34 Chess Pieces, including 2 Additional Queens (for Pawn Promotion)
History of the Chess Pieces
The Mammoth Ivory is excavated from the permafrost of the Siberian tundra, which the woolly mammoth inhabited for more than 160,000 years. During the last ice age, the mammoth went extinct as the direct result of rapidly plummeting temperatures that literally flash froze the entire population of Mammuthus primigenius. The dry, cold environment of Siberia combined with the massive sheets of ice from the ice age created the ideal environment for the preservation of Mammoth Ivory. The woolly Mammoth have been entombed under the Siberian permafrost ever since, waiting to be unearthed.
For more than 2,000 years, Mammoth Ivory has been traded and it remains a highly prized commodity across the world. While that demand for the Mammoth Ivory has always been higher than its supply, it skyrocketed in 1963 when the CITES agreement was enacted. This agreement banned all sales of new Elephant or Walrus Ivory, in an effort to protect the animals from extinction. As a result, Mammoth Ivory became the only type of animal-based ivory that is exempt from the international trade restrictions because it is considered to be a fossil. Over the past few years, the price of Mammoth Ivory has more than doubled, due largely to the unprecedented demand for luxury goods from such emerging countries as India and China. This trend is expected to continue.
Less than one percent of the Mammoth Ivory harvested is of suitable quality for the manufacturing of Chess pieces, making these exquisite Chessmen a rare treasure to behold.
Included with Purchase
Certificate of Authenticity
Individual Production Number
World of chess
How to play chess
People have been playing chess for more than 1500 years. Invented in India in the 6th century CE, its earliest known form was called chaturanga.
About Us
Headquartered in the United States, The House of Staunton manufacturers the world's finest Chess equipment.
