1960's Soviet Set

The one I got on etsy was shipped from Latvia, it's a little different that those pics, I'll post pics when I get it. If they made reproduction Soviet sets they would probably cost more than real vintage ones. Soviet knights kind of remind me of borzois. I prefer that over camels though.

Perhaps, Jackie. I've gone with Arlindo's typology. Have you seen his video and blog on Soviet sets? Really wonderful work.

Looking forward to your pics, MC. I have three of these, and they're all different in some respects, particularly the knights. But the bishop's heads vary slightly in shape, as does the level of detail in the carving of the queen's coronet.

Here is the stamp.

I can read nothing of it but the date--1965.

Lower section (below the line)

Chess Board (in large print)

Article

Sort

Price 90

прейскурамт (as well as I can make it out. Not a word that I have ever encountered.)

Date of Release

(Can't read the rest)

Many thanks, JM!

That's a really nice set, cgrau; another prize for your collection. I landed a younger sibling of this set put out in the early 90s. The knights are as basic as you will find and the crenellations on the queens and rooks do not exist.

What about that red beaut in the first pic? That looks like an even older predecessor. Did you post that one before?

Thanks, Up, that's a 1955 version of the Latvian set, and she is on deck.

Сорт is actually not so much "sort" as "class". Первый сорт - first class. Прейскурамт is "price-listing" or whatever the word is.

Love the original price. 90 kopek

I remember when hardbound soviet books routinely were priced lower than most soviet magazines and even some newspapers.

Are you sure that isn't 1.90?

No, but even that would be ridiculously cheap.

I remember buying a new two volume hardbound set of the selected works of a famed Ukrainian author that had been sitting on the shelves of a local Russian book importer for decades at their original price of 50 cents for both volumes, in the early 1990s.

Interesting! What Ukrainian author? Taras Shevchenko is the only one I can think of off the top of my head. Edit: Of course the Ukrainians claim Gogol as well.

Ivan Franko, if I recall correctly.

Chuck, Here's a later circa 1970s version of your Soviet set. Less detail on the Queen's crown and Knight carvings

Thanks, Mike. I have one of those as well. The queens, rooks, and knights all have less detail, and the bishop less flair and grace.

There is a thread asking which Russian set is your favorite.

I do like all of these sets, but the first one in this thread is my favorite.

I like the knights better because they are not as large and more proportionate to the rest of the set, in my opinion.

I also like how the pointed finial on the kings is not so tall.

I like Mike's set with the red, white pieces as a relatively close second.

Eye, the red pieces would be mine. 

You're welcome Chuck, Keep up the good work with your postings