5 Dubrovnik Sets Comparison

LOL

In the history of the World Wide Web a photo series like this comparing so many wonderful Dubrovnik sets side-by-side from different manufacturers is a FIRST. Thanks go to KineticPawn and FluxBlunders for making it happen.  

This photo is particularly awesome. One rarely sees head-on shots of the Dubrovnik knights. It's usually shown in profile. And here we see 10 of them. Nice!

I love the maple also of the NOJ. I have inquired to different carvers in India why not source maple, it stands out so and looks classy when compared to boxwood.  All I get is why do we need to source maple? Yes, they would have to import it but no one wants to. The first Indian chess set maker to make a set from maple, as long as it is well done will reap the rewards. Once you see the maple pieces you no longer want boxwood, it is gorgeous. 

Maybe we can make this threat a reference library? A collection of every variation of Dubrovnik design? Or same design in different color? 

This is not what I ordered but got delivered instead. Not quite sure what to make out of this set, the knight is a hybrid of dubrovnik and FIDE official knight, the king has opposite color finial.

It's sheesham / boxwood, KH is 3.7" and quite heavy. No flaws to be seen in carving and finish, weigths are consistent among the pieces except for one white pawn, it is twice the weights compared to the rest of the pawns. This set will not win any beauty contest any time soon but surprisingly it handles excellent for playing. I've played few games and I enjoyed playing with it. It's cheap to boot, so I decided to keep it.

Edit: I forgot, it has extra queens as well.

Through Etsy, chess by india. Their 3.6'' dub boxwood / ebonized boxwood was on sale. I asked if he has them in sheesham version as well. He said yes and this is what I got delivered instead 😆 

TheOneCalledMichael: I'd never seen this set until today, strange but nice.

KineticPawn: First of all i'd like to thank you to post this threat, it will be very hepful to me as I'm starting (well...attempting) to make my Dubrovnik set. The Pawnerai 1/8 method (hope not patented) will give me very apreciate information about how the pieces are made. I will post pictures when I have something to show (I mean something I think can be shown . )
My favourite set is, whithout any doubt, the SC version, in all the pieces, all their pieces are the ones I like more than the all the other pieces of the other sets.
Thanks again, I go to turn on the lathe....

I would just suggest trying to use the same wood NOJ used for his pieces. I think its Hard European Maple??? but I'm not certain. My main point is that the light NOJ wood color has amazing pop and if you're in EU it might not be cost prohibitive.  I look forward to seeing your future work.  

I'm curious now. In terms of raw material what's the price differential of Hard Maple over an alternative like Boxwood?

Thanks for the recomendation. That wouldn't be a problem, I have a lot of maple as I'm an amateur violin maker (my other passion) and maple is used on violins. However I don't like using maple to make the pieces for two reasons, one is that I don't like black and white pieces (of course it can be dyed), and two is because maple is or too soft or too hard to turn, it depends on how flamed it is, the more flamed the more hard to work with an also to turn. I have experience on working with maple, the set I'm close to finish is made with it.

BTW can you recognize the knight?

I know the dubrovnik original set was made of maple and that will give to my set a more original flavour, I don't know, maybe I try.
P.D: Walnut is also difficult to turn (the other original wood)

Very difficult to say as they come from a long range of diferent places. In my experience european balcan maple is quite expensive but take in consideration that I use it for violin making so the maple used is high quality and strongly flamed. I know that boxwood is also expensive as I looked once for the price but I cannot know about the indian or other places boxwood.

Very nice interpretation of a Sinquefield Cup Knight! I'd love to see a front facing head-on shot of the Knight if available. Any thoughts on the Rook? Something fat and meaty like a NOJ Minceta Rook? And very nice "jewel-like" finials atop of the K, Q, and B. Can I get in line to be your first customer??

Nicely done Jacmater! Is this your first try of turning and carving?

yeahh! easy for you for sure! here you are but the pictures are taken with my smartphone so thay are a bit deformed, the knights look better in reality and sorry but I don't sell sets I just make them for fun.

you can see they are not identical and the reason is because obviuosly are handmade but also because i cut the outline with a hand marquetry saw.

Not really, I've done five sets before, but maybe we're deviating too much from the content of the threat  so maybe better leave it to talk about the dubrovnik set as you proposed before which I thought was a good idea (and I wouldn't like KineticPawn getting angry with me!).

Wow, that's some beautiful woodwork. I love the wood grain too. Interesting base pattern you use also. Slightly sharper and less of that natural droopy or melting base. Jacmeter could I bother you with a question regarding my SC Dubrovnik set?  I think I want to give it a more buffed/finished look especially the dark pieces. What's your opinion on this overall and how would you recommend going about this if I choose to do it?

P.S. I would also second the idea of you doing your interpretation of a Dubrovnik rather than a strict reproduction.  Would LOVE to see that SC Knight in the same set as that Minceta rook. Lmk if you need the dimensions of any pieces.

I don't actually know what buffed means. If it means a worn appearance you can do this:

First of all you should know what base of varnishes is used on. the only way is asking the manufacturer but...dificult to do . So, there are 3 types of varnishes, oil based, spirit based and water based. For oil based varnishes you might use turpentine to "clear" (it means to remove the colored varnish) until you think it's enough (I'm assuming that the black pieces are colored and is not the natural color of the wood). take a cloth with turpentine and go. Don't smell it, avoid eye contact, etc.. etc..

For spirit varnishes you might use spirit instead of turpentine and for water based varnishes the only way is to use small grain sand paper. The edges will be the most affected parts so take care. you can use, of course, sandpaper for the other varnishes but the finish with will be more rough.

But....using a translator it gives to me that buffed may be like glazed (I don't know). In this case strong polish is necessary. You can buy polishing paste i a car replacement pieces shop for example and use any kind of cloth you can put into a drilling machine in order to make it turn and polish the pieces. There are also several types of polishing pastes you can find in a bricolage shop with an adaptor to insert a cloth into the drilling machine.
If buffed means something diferent plis explain me what in more detail.
Sorry I'm not an english speaker.

P.S.: mmm...the minceta rook is not one of my favourites!

Thank you. By buffed I was guess I am referring to the glazed look that is most prominently seen in NOJ and the HoS sets. It's the only real aspect I would change about the SC.  The polished/glazed/buffed look is what I'm going to try. I am going to give it a try one of these weekends after I research enough to make sure I don't make any permanent damage or mistakes.  

I would recommend Tamiya clear spray. They are available in three different types of finish: glossy, semi gloss and flat (matte). Search on amazon or drop by local scale model hobby shop. Works great on chess pieces. My preference is semi gloss.

https://www.amazon.com/Tamiya-Spray-Lacquer-TS-79-Gloss/dp/B000ZVV8UA

HoS 3.75'' Dubrovnik gilded version in purpleheart / boxwood.

Love the purple glowing color during the day and dark brown blackish at night. Heavy set, excellent handling except the bishops because of the design it's to much of bottom heavy. 

This is how it looks at night, deep brown blackish with faint of purple glow. Playing with my dad. This is real game.