1930s–1970s Soviet Valdai sets vs. modern reproductions
I just came across a rather curious “Reproduced Russian (Soviet Era)” set by ChessBazaar, which is clearly a Valdai reproduction—or rather a modern interpretation, as it strays considerably from the originals.
So here I would like to present their interpretation, along with a few other reproductions available today; and of course I will compare them to the original Valdai sets—so-called because at least some of them were produced in the Valdai Regional Industrial Manufactory in Novgorod Oblast, Russia.
Original Valdai set
Before I show the reproductions, it makes sense to show you an original set, so you have a baseline to compare the reproductions to—assuming you’re not yet familiar with Valdai sets.
A ’60s Valdai set. I didn’t save the name of the owner or seller of this set when I downloaded it and removed the background. Let me know if you know who to attribute this set to!
Design characteristics
In terms of its design, Valdai sets are characterized by relatively small pieces with very wide bases. I’ve read that lead was scarce around the time these sets were made, so rather than weighting the sets, they were given wide bases for stability—and presumably with the secondary aim to add a minor amount of weight to the pieces.
The royals feature cone-shaped crowns, which were shorter and wider in the ’40s, but become more slender by the ’60s. The royals and bishops feature concave necks above their collars, and the bishops feature bulbs for their miters, with a little knob at the apex. This bulb was considerably smaller in early sets, but grew larger by the ’60s.
The rooks are quite unusual, in that the towers feature a gradual transition from the base right up to the battlement—which is unusually tall (about a third of the total height), and features three bands. Rather than proper crenellations in the battlements of the rooks (i.e., distinct gaps in the top that separate the merlons), they feature four holes drilled at an angle, creating indentations more than very pronounced gaps. The pawns are almost as large as the rooks, although both the rooks and pawns are fairly small compared to the other pieces; and they feature large, obloid heads.
The rooks of a ’70s Valdai set (listed by RetroLovelyShop).
The knight is arguably the most characteristic of Valdai sets, although I would say almost ever piece of these sets is highly idiosyncratic—certainly this rook design I’ve not seen in any other set. But the knights are quite unusual as well, in that they feature quite angular, faceted bodies, and they perhaps resemble panthers more than horses. The later Botvinnik–Flohr II sets of the ’60s did feature panther-like knights (and just like the Valdai sets, they were produced in Valdai), but without faceted bodies. The one other set with knights that have both these qualities are the faceted knight variant of the Baku set. I sometimes think of Valdai knights as miniature versions of the faceted Baku knights.
The faceted Baku knight (from Stephen Kong’s collection).
Despite the fact that these Baku knights are similarly faceted and resemble panthers more than horses—at least in profile—Valdai knights are still distinct, with their curved backs and sharper muzzles.
The ’60s Botvinnik–Flohr II set, a ’60s Valdai set, and a ’50s–’60s faceted Baku set (photos and restorations by Alan Power).
Alan Power also refers to Valdai sets as ‘nobles’, which I’ve always found a bit ironic considering the set is fairly small, and the knights are slightly goofy rather than noble steeds. Simply put, the set lacks the grandeur befitting a Nobles name. At the same time, I get it; the royals and bishops are elegant in their design, with elongated necks and pronounced crowns and miters. The gradual transitions from the bases to the pedestals are also very graceful.
Materials & finish
Most of these wets were probably made using birch, which was the most widely available wood, and an economical choice for artisans in Valdai. Beech may also have been used in some cases, but birch is more associated with these sets.
The colors of the set shown above are quite typical of the more common sets from the ’60s; they usually came in natural, yellow, or sometimes light brown. The sets of the ’40s were generally painted dark red, but they are fairly uncommon. Or rather, they are not often seen for sale on Ebay and Etsy. Valdai sets are usually finished with a fairly glossy coat.
The most common color baize for these sets is dark gray.
Dimensions
The most common height for ’60s Valdai kings is 3.34″ (8.5 cm), with 3.15″ (8 cm) being the most common height. The base of the king was generally around 1.46″ (3.7 cm) or even broader.
To get a sense of the king heights and other metrics, I documented various features of all the Valdai sets I could find on Etsy. See the results below. This should also give a good baseline to compare the reproductions to.
ChessBazaar reproduction
And here is the set that inspired this post—both because of its design and its shocking color)! The green pieces are instinctively quite upsetting to my sensibilities, but I have to admit it’s fascinating to see—even though it makes absolutely no sense to color a Soviet-inspired set green. I think if you give them a bold color at all, a bright red stain would have been more appropriate; but I admire their courage to do something completely unexpected. I see this set as a nice alternative to the bright red Danish Union sets (often referred to as Knubbel, or incorrectly as German Knubbel) for analysis, which ChessBazaar also offers a reproduction of.
A modern interpretation of the Valdai set in boxwood & green-stained boxwood, by ChessBazaar.
Made in 2016, the set is clearly a modern interpretation of the Soviet Valdai sets rather than a straightforward reproduction; most of the pieces resemble the original sets from the ’60s—albeit with shorter crowns and necks on the royals, and the royals and bishops feature thick double-sided collars instead of the downturned ones of the originals as well as the pawn above. Very curious to see two types of collars in the same set. The top of the bases aren’t rounded off, however, making this set look sharper and arguably less polished and graceful than the original sets. The pedestals and necks are also much thicker, making it a more sturdy analysis set, but lacking the same grace as the originals.
Mind you, with a king height of 3.7″ (9.39 cm) this reproduction is quite a bit larger than the originals, which were around 3.34″ (8.5 cm) at the upper end.
But the most major departure from the originals is the very Stauntonized knights, which are somewhat faceted in the chest, but in general bear no resemblance to the Valdai knights except for their small stature.
The owner of ChessBazaar commented on my post in the Facebook group CLASSICAL CHESS SETS NEW & OLD post your sets, saying it was ‘of course’ not a Valdai set that was referenced for their reproduction. I don’t take this claim seriously, as—the knights notwithstanding—the pieces are unmistakably Valdai. What other set could it possibly be?
The green stain is certainly an acquired taste, but in case you like a highly idiosyncratic set, you can get it here: Reproduced Russian (Soviet Era) Series Chess Pieces in Stained Green Ash Burl / Box Wood
Mind you, the set is also available in Sheesham and ebonized. I have no idea why, but the sheesham and ebonized versions feature knights that have the eyes on the front rather than the sides of their heads.
Valdai interpretation in boxwood & Sheesham, by ChessBazaar.
Valdai interpretation in boxwood & ebonized boxwood, by ChessBazaar.
You can see this in all their product photos—not just the side profile preview above—so they do seem to come that way. Curious.
The boxwood & ebonized boxwood Stauntonized Valdai knights by ChessBazaar.
In fact, the eye placement isn’t the only difference; the ears of the ebonized and Sheesham versions are less pointy, the jawline is more angular rather than rounded, and they seem to have more pronounced chins. The knight design of the green-stained version is much nicer, in my opinion. If you agree but want to get the set in Sheesham or ebonized, I would contact ChessBazaar and request knights carved like the green-stained version.
Kadun reproduction
Kadun also offers a reproduction with modernized knights that are unlike the originals. They call their reproduction ‘Retro 60s’. The height of the king is 2.95″ (7.5 cm), which is smaller than the originals tended to be; they generally wouldn’t be any smaller than 3.15″ (8 cm).
I think the pieces look quite nice, although the bottom collars of the bishops and royals looks a bit too thick. The neck of the bishop is also thicker than the royals; it should be either the same thickness, or even more slender as seen in some of the original sets. The necks also look too short to me. The rook appears too fat, which I think is mainly due to the tapering from the base to the body being too gradual; it should follow the shape of the royals and bishop.
The white pieces (in African sapele wood) of Kadun’s Valdai reproduction/interpretation.
The knight is quite a beautiful modern interpretation, but just like ChessBazaar’s interpretation, I find it very unfortunate that they didn’t go for an authentic reproduction. I think the knight is too short as well, which breaks the visual hierarchy of the pieces; the muzzle should reach the top of the rook, resulting in a height of the knight that properly falls in between the rook and the bishop. Actually, now that I’m paying more attention to the heights, I’m noticing that the queen is too short as well; the top of her crown should be at the height of the knob on top of the bishop. Speaking of which, that knob is too large.
I will say that the use of African sapele wood for the white pieces is quite attractive. But of course, it doesn’t imitate the originals if that’s what you’re after.
The black pieces (in ebonized maple with African sapele finials) of Kadun’s Valdai reproduction/interpretation.
If you would like to order this set, you will have to find someone with a Russian address to order for you and send it, as Kadun doesn’t ship outside of Russia. The set costs around $673, which also strikes me as quite steep—although admittedly, the set IS produced using high-quality woods, and you get a chess board/box with it.
WoodGames reproduction
Just before publishing this article, I saw chess collector Vikhram Ravi post a modern set he got from the Russian WoodGames—a manufacturer I had never heard of. And as it turns out, they offer a Valdai reproduction/interpretation as well! They call it ‘Starodworskie’ for some reason. I imagine there is some sense to that name for Russian speakers, but I can’t parse it.
Just like the Kadun repro, the king height is 2.95″ (7.5 cm), compared to 3.15″ (8 cm) at just about the lower end of the original Valdai sets (with some exceptions). The base is also marginally smaller, although it seems to be proportional to the height.
In terms of the design, this reproduction is quite a strange one. The rook has the right proportions, but the battlement lacks crenellations. All the bases look very bulbous, which is a feature seen in some Valdai sets of the ’40s; yet the bishop features a large bulb, which is characteristic of the Valdai sets of the ’60s and ’70s. The necks of the royals and bishops feature double rings rather than chokers, which look more modern to me, but less elegant and refined. This is also true of the collars, which are thick discs.
A modern Valdai interpretation in beech & ebonized beech, by WoodGames.ru.
The knight is probably the greatest departure of Valdai knights from all the modern reproductions. The head looks a bit like a cross between a wolf and a Komodo dragon. That’s kinda cool. However, I think it stands out from the set far too much, both because it lacks the more stylized and robust features of the other pieces, and because it’s a bust placed on top of a pedestal on top of a flat base. I think it would have worked better if the edges of the base were rounded off, and the bust was placed directly on top of the base. Or if you’re going for a bust on a column, why not give the column double rings, like the necks of the royals and the bishops? I think that would have made the set a bit more coherent.
One thing I do like about this set is that it’s made of beech wood. This is interesting, because although most of the original sets were most likely made of birch, beech may have been used for some of the original Valdai sets as well.
I should mention that the images on the website are very small (around 700 px in width for the set itself, excluding the wide margins), so I upscaled it with AI to a width of 1600 px. Although this added clarity, due to the fact that it interpreted a fairly low-res image, it may have hallucinated some details that aren’t present in the actual set. So here are the two photos from the website unaltered (only cropped to remove the wide margins):
The white pieces (in beech wood with ebonized finials) of WoodGames’ Valdai interpretation.
The black pieces (in ebonized beech wood) of WoodGames’ Valdai interpretation.
I think Vikhram implied that just like with Kadun, the sets are only delivered to addresses within Russia, so you will need a Russian friend to help you get one of these sets if you want one. As for the price, WoodGames is very mysterious about it; you have to register an account, and only then can you request the WoodGames catalog with listed prices.
Retro Maximum reproduction
The only authentic reproduction I’ve come across is by Retro Maximum. Well, it’s a nearly perfect replica. The king is 3.25″ (8.2 cm) tall, which is also quite appropriate, as the most common height of Valdai kings is between 3.34″ (8.5 cm) and 3.15″ (8 cm); Retro Maximum’s Valdai king is right in the middle!
If I were to nitpick—and if you know me, you know I will—I do observe a few deviations in the details.
Valdai reproduction by Retro Maximum.
For one, the collars are too horizontal; it seems like the collars of the originals slant down more, rather than appearing like discs. And it seems the neck of the king doesn’t always have a distinct enough separation from its crown.
Reproduced Valdai royals and bishops by Retro Maximum.
I would also say that the necks of the royals and the bishops aren’t quite concave enough; they appear a bit more elegant in the originals. Other than that, I have no complaints.
In fact, there is one detail that deviates from the originals of the ’60s, but for the better; the legibility of the manes!
Reproduced Valdai knights by Retro Maximum.
The early Valdai sets I’ve seen featured knights with clearly legible manes, but in many ’60s sets the manes look a lot more flat. It’s possible that this is due to wear rather than part of their design, because in the ’60s knights below the manes feature distinct gaps—unlike the ’60s sets shown earlier. Either way, I appreciate that RetroMaximum has put some emphasis on the separation of the manes.
Actually, I would argue that the features around the head are more distinct as well; the eyes are easily noticeable, there is a pronounced brow ridge, and I quite like that the jawline is rounded off a bit. Whether I like it better than the sharp jawline of the originals though, I’m not sure about. I think with the faceted bodies of the knights, the sharp jawline makes sense as well. Oh I should note that while the backs of the knights below follow a full curve, the knights of the repro feature a more angular back, with a less curved part below where the manes start.
Valdai knights from a ’60s set offered by USSRovskyVintage.
The straight back is not a feature alien to original sets, however. In the ’70s set below, you can see that some knights are indeed shaped like that. Also notice the straight chest of the second white knight, and the variability in heights. I’m sure the reproduction will show a greater consistency than some of the originals. I must say though, I personally don’t mind some variability in the knights of Soviet sets, as it turns them into actual horses with distinct features, rather than idealized/stylized representations of horses. But while this is charming to my in Soviet sets, I think I would be taken aback if I saw this level of inconsistency in modern sets—even including reproductions. Interesting how we have different expectations and standards for modern chess productions.
The knights of a ’70s Valdai set (listed by RetroLovelyShop).
So there are a few minor deviations, but they’re not noticeable in my initial expression, which I think is what a reproduction should be like. I also appreciate that the colors and the coating exactly replicate what most of the Valdai sets of the ’60s look like. I mean, compare the knights from the photo above to the reproduction; the color is an exact match! The grain of the wood is more visible through the coat in the reproduction though, which I personally find quite beautiful. I don’t know if this is indicative of a less opaque paint or stain, or a matter of the maple wood used having a more pronounced grain than the birch of the original sets.
All in all, it’s a really beautiful reproduction. It is quite expensive, however. I have to convert the price from CAD to USD so I don’t know what price is listed, but it’s around $417. For that amount, you can even get an original early ’40s Valdai set. Unweighted though. I believe Retro Maximum’s repro is lightly weighted. You can order their set here: Valdai Nobles Chess Set Reproduction
’50s Valdai sets
Those were all the modern reproductions and interpretations of the Valdai sets that I’m aware of. However, I referred to earlier Valdai sets several times, so I think this article would be missing something by never showing you the early sets for comparison. Let’s work our way backward, from the ’50s to the ’30s.
Below is a set from the ’50s. As you can see, the crowns of the royals are a bit broader and shorter, the necks of the royals and the bishop are shorter, and the rook and pawn appear a bit taller. It looks like the bulb on the bishop and the head of the pawn are a bit smaller compared to the ’60s sets; and in fact, they seem to shrink the further back you go. The pedestals of all the pieces actually seem longer, making the set appear more elegant even than the later sets. The collars appear to be more flattened than in later Valdai sets.
The white pieces of a ’50s Valdai set in brown (at some point listed by Mykhailo Kovalenko).
What’s also characteristic of earlier Valdai sets is that the pedestal/base of the knight flares at the top. The later Valdai knights feature bases that don’t taper inward that much, and don’t flare at the top.
The bottom part of the body of the knight sticks out more than in the later sets, forming more of a crescent shape. This particular knight has a more pronounced chin—almost like a goatee—but this feature isn’t present on most sets I’ve seen from the ’50s.
The light brown color seems to be fairly common in Valdai sets from the ’50s. Another fairly common color of both the sets from the ’50s and the ’40s is the dark wine red color or a cool chestnut color below. Another common feature of these older sets is the more abrupt transition between the base and the main body of the rook, which makes the body appear a bit longer.
The white pieces of a ’50s Valdai set in dark red (listed by ChessUSSR/Mykhailo Kovalenko).
’40s Valdai sets
Below is a late ’40s Valdai set, which is characterized by bulkier and more rounded bases, shorter crowns on the royals, and a much smaller bulb on the bishops, with often obloid shapes rather than spherical. The rooks and pawns are often comparable in height, rather than the pawns being a bit smaller.
The white pieces of a 1947–1951 Valdai set (listed on Pinterest, which links to a listing by OneMoreDeal on Pinkoi, although that looks like a different set).
Actually, ’40s sets seem to diverge into two archetypes; one with more bulbous bases than what they would evolve into later, and one—such as in the set below—with less bulbous bases with more abrupt tapering than what we see in later sets. This second archetype is characterized by long, thin pedestals, and rooks that appear taller because a large part of the body is straight rather than tapered all the way to the battlement.
The white pieces of a 1947–1951 Valdai set (listed by OneMoreDeal on Pinkoi).
The knights of older sets also tend to be much more consistent in their proportions, as the later ’60s knights often feature knights that can vary quite a bit in their muzzle shape. This isn’t the case in most sets, but quality control does seem to have decreased by the ’60s. Note the sharp muzzle of one white knight compared to the robust muzzle of the black knight of the ’60s set below.
The knights of a ’60s Valdai set (listed by FabrikaVintazha).
By comparing the ’40s set with the ’60s set, it also becomes more obvious how much the bulbs of the bishops have grown over the years.
Below is another example of the variance seen in the muzzles and the bodies of the knights in later sets. Note how much flatter the muzzle of the second black knight is, but also notice the variace in the faceted bodies; the left white knight and right black knight both have smaller side segments on the body, as well as in their faces.
The knights of a ’70s Valdai set (listed by RetroLovelyShop).
’30s Valdai sets
Lastly, let’s have a look at two of the earliest Valdai sets, from the ’30s. These sets are interesting, because while most of the pieces are recognizably Valdai, the knights show a major departure, as well as a lot of variance. It looks like the knights of the earliest Valdai sets hadn’t yet matured into a distinct archetype. The knight in the set below isn’t even faceted; and more does its base flare at the top as in the other early Valdai sets. But note the very bulbous and wide bases, which added even more weight and stability than the later Valdai sets. The base of the pawn is unusually wide.
The white pieces of a ’30s Valdai set (at one point listed by Mykhailo Kovalenko, and presumably sold).
The set below is thought to be from the ’30s as well, which I think makes sense given how bulbous the bases are, and the fact that the knight is unlike the archetypal Valdai knight also points to it stemming from before the ’40s. I’m curious whether this set precedes the one above. The flaring pedestal of the knight hints at it being a later evolution considering that’s a feature we see in the ’40s and ’50s; but most of the other pieces suggest it’s even older.
The white pieces of a Valdai set which Chuck Grau and Mykhailo Kovalenko date to the ’30s (from Chuck Grau’s collection).
For one, the royals feature double collars. This is quite fascinating, because it implies that the top collar shrank over time, and together with the band at the bottom of the neck turned into the single choker we see since the ’40s. The queen’s ball finial is also much larger and more spherical than what we see in later sets. The pawn has the widest base of any Valdai set I’ve seen, as well as the smallest head. We do see the head size increase over time, so a smaller head points to an earlier date as well. And finally, the battlement of the rook isn’t as tall as what we see in later sets, which suggests that the rook design hasn’t fully matured yet at this point.
The knight also shows some of the beginnings of the faceted design, and the distinct crescent shape is already present.
Conclusion
And that traces the Valdai set right to the beginning! The modern reproductions are interesting, in that they could be thought of as independent continuations of the Valdai design. Unofficial, of course. But apart from Retro Maximum’s authentic reproduction, it seems any other chess maker has asked themselves, “What would a Valdai set look like if we made it today, with modern sensibilities?”
Personally though, I favor the original sets from the ’40s to the ’70s. I like the sleek crowns of the royals of the sets from the ’60s and ’70s, but the wider crowns and sleek pedestals of the ’40s sets are really beautiful as well. I’m not entirely sure whether I prefer the smaller bulb on the bishop of the sets from the ’40s and ’50s, or the more bulbous bishops of the ’60s and ’70s. I’m usually drawn to more bulbous pieces—for instance, the incredibly bulbous queen of the English William Hallet sets—but I’m drawn to the smaller bulbs, I guess simply because the ’40s sets are older and rarer, which strangely seems to bias my preferences. I definitely find the dark red color of the older sets more attractive though. But the light brown sets of the ’60s are appealing as well. Most of all, I just love those cute little faceted panther knights of Valdai sets.
What’s your opinion? Which of the originals and reproductions do you prefer?
