Damn Nice score!
A folding board but…not quite a travel set!
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Nice, another variation on the Filipino staunton set. I'm wondering who made the original design.
Another great set, congrats! And I do like the grain of the kamagong pieces!
Aug 12, 2022
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#5
Wow! That is one big set. Another for your growing collection. Congratulations…….as usual.
Aug 12, 2022
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#6
Thanks for the feedback everyone. The heft of the pieces is almost comical - while I have not peeled back the felt - I am sure they are unweighted - just the density of them wood makes then heavy and the design, with their bulbous bases makes them stable. In the Kamagong side, the knights and rooks are over 200gms too … the pawns over 100!
@chessmaster_diamond - good question, I am unsure who made the original Phillipine’s design but my guess is that it would be easier to associate with a region or family/tribe/clan perhaps? Those with more knowledge than I, might know.
Cheers 🍻
@chessmaster_diamond - good question, I am unsure who made the original Phillipine’s design but my guess is that it would be easier to associate with a region or family/tribe/clan perhaps? Those with more knowledge than I, might know.
Cheers 🍻
Shiny! Gotta say the horses grin is a bit creepy though 😬
Aug 13, 2022
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#9
Ha - @renesby - you’re right - the knights do have a sinister and slightly creepy grin.😊
While hard to convey in photos, I am particularly pleased with the depth of colour in the wood - it adds character and the carving, lacks perfection but is impressive nonetheless.
Aug 13, 2022
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#11
@Powderdigit - It’s incredible to me the SCALE of those pieces - just the finial on the king is enough wood for all the pieces in my mini magnetic set, I think!
Could you put the set next to a can of your favorite beverage, or something else to better grasp the mammoth size of this set?
Aug 13, 2022
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#12
@VBerriz - here you go, I was able to source a tasty beverage form the fridge. 😊
Aug 13, 2022
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#14
Cheers Magic. 😊
In truth, it’s more novelty … and whilst playable, perhaps for select participants such as kids, perhaps those with impaired vision and/or those that find it difficult to grasp smaller pieces….
outside of playing, the pieces make interesting displays just by themselves - for example, the knights or royals are big enough to stand alone for display in a bookshelf.
For further perspective- here’s a display against Holger’s Phillipines knight from ‘72, CB’s GM Blitz knight and Biro Sandor’s Romanian_Hungarian knight.
Aug 13, 2022
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#15
Even more impressive from a display perspective....and....my wife loves it,so take it from a woman's decorative point of view! They know so much more than us.
Fantastic set, Mark! Congratulations! I love the large bases of your pieces. These "giant" sets are impressive. I have two in the Philippine Staunton pattern, but none of those came with a folding board.
Here is a line up of my specimen against some smaller sized Philippine Stauntons.
Aug 15, 2022
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#17
Thanks Holger - your and others feedback is valued and I love seeing any photos from your collection! And now for the ridiculous …. And I am not going to start a separate thread ….but I will say that pieces seem to find their way to me …
… in this instance, I noticed a poor photo of another folding board and pieces. The photos were not clear but I recognised the distinct shape of the Philippines bases and thought “@$”/ it, why not?” … and at lunch time today, I went and picked up this set from a wonderful couple who were downsizing for retirement.
This set was purchased 40-50 years ago when the couple were working in Borneo and travelled to the Phillipines. Again - beautiful Kamagong and Narra - much smaller board (36cm) and smaller pieces! Cool find.
At the end, I have photos of my 4 Phillipines knights. A giant set, Holger’s ‘standard’ pieces, this folding travel set and my tribal pieces.
I might say: “love it when a plan comes together” but …. there is no plan… 😳🤔😊 … just an addiction!!!! 🤦♂️
Oct 15, 2022
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#18
Over the past few weeks I have carefully refurbished the board. Essentially a very light sanding and then bees wax oil. Again, this is about keeping the age and patina but removing surface dirt and scratches.
I have come to believe that this is quite a rare - or at least - very hard to find set, especially with an accompanying board. The size and scale make it a bold display piece and/or great for outdoors with friends at a bbq over the warmer months.
Oct 15, 2022
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#19
If ever a board looks to have been made for a set,that's it!
Fabulous job and gorgeous/unique set.
Powderdigit wrote:
...I picked this up recently and it has a cool back story. It was made in the southern part of Luzon, in the Philippines, by a young man who went on to become a wonderful furniture maker (as noted by his niece from whom I purchased the set). The family story goes that he (the uncle) made it as a present to his sister and mother - as a thank you gift for helping put him through woodworking school. The uncle has now passed from this mortal coil.
The set arrived in Australia around ‘73 when some of the family moved here - so made late ‘60’s early 70’s. The family are no longer using it and wanted it to go to a good home … and I hope our home is that!
This set is a hand-made folding board and pieces in the traditional Phillipines design of staunton-style.
Wow. What a gorgeous set! A bit too large for my taste, but that type of quality is what I had in mind when I asked my wife to buy me a chess set when she went to the Philippines to visit her family in 2018. She wound up buying me 2 sets, but they are of the style that is very common there--very cheap wood, green and white squares. But I love them, because the love of my life packed them in her suitcase and brought them all the way home, just for me. 
Here’s a bit of fun, I reckon.
I picked this up recently and it has a cool back story. It was made in the southern part of Luzon, in the Philippines, by a young man who went on to become a wonderful furniture maker (as noted by his niece from whom I purchased the set). The family story goes that he (the uncle) made it as a present to his sister and mother - as a thank you gift for helping put him through woodworking school. The uncle has now passed from this mortal coil.
The set arrived in Australia around ‘73 when some of the family moved here - so made late ‘60’s early 70’s. The family are no longer using it and wanted it to go to a good home … and I hope our home is that!
This set is a hand-made folding board and pieces in the traditional Phillipines design of staunton-style.
Clearly, not all folding boards are travel sets and this is not travel set - even though it’s travelled far and wide!😆
It’s huge and heavy! The board when open is 26”square, each square is over 3”, ( just under 8cm)! The king is enormous at 7.5”, 19cm! and weighing 200gms black/165 white.
I’m pretty sure the dark wood is Kamagong and has beautiful colour variation (just like Holger’s Philippines pieces) and the light is either Ibil or Narra - not sure but the family thinks one or the other.
This all just makes me smile - it won’t be displayed much - it’s just too big for our home - but it will be used in summer and for a bit of fun with family and friends.
I will also do some work on the board and pieces to clean them up… the board has a few lifting tiles and some scuffs and scratches - all can be appropriately renovated without taking away the character.
Pleasingly all the pieces retain their red felts and are in pretty good nick - in fact, excellent given the whole lot is north of 50 years old.
Anyway - enjoy (or not) - again, it’s not for everyone’s taste and … not to be used for blitz ….
Just a fun piece of recent history. 👍