Another Vintage Soviet Russian Chess Set Pictorial

The addiction continues with the addition of another vintage Soviet chess set. Kings measure 4.25" in height with a 1 5/8" diameter base. Pawns measure 2 1/4" in height. Pieces weighted. Knight heads and finials made of plastic. I have never seen another set, Soviet or otherwise with such stubby Bishops.  Typical with  Soviet set boards, the squares are way too small for the pieces. 

More pics

More pics

Thanks for posting pictures of this set.  I like the looks of it.

The bishops look squat, like Friar Tuck of the Robin Hood stories.

You're welcome Ron, I like "Friar Tuck", it does fit the Bishops.

Nice looking set. The Ks finials look lke they tried to be a cross, just didn't make it all the way.

All the pieces have a somewhat unique shape to them - the Rs long and slender, the Bs short and "Friar Tuck-ish", and the Knights look like they are rearing up to lead the charge.

The pieces also show some wear, they have some history in them.

Thanks for sharing it.

You're welcome Rsava, and thanks for your interesting comments

Nice set & pics.! I bet GM Tal could make that set sing on the chessboard.

Very interesting knights(rooks and bishops too), I don't think ive ever seen a design quite like those, in many ways.

Nice set! Gotta love the oversize clocks too.

Thanks Frank, I bet he probably played on a set like this

Thanks Discogambits, glad you liked the set & clock

Thanks BigKingBud, I'm glad you find the set interesing. The Knights, Rooks & Bishops are really special

It is also VERY interesting that the knights "heads" are plastic?  I've never seen that before(on a wooden set).
Also, this set is SO authentic looking, it really should be redone by HOS or Bazaar.  NO offense but I'm sorta sick of seeing that one russian set, that it seems like EVERYONE has. 

Probably just me stating the obvious , the clock is great looking!

Yes, I see this post has received an edit or two. I would call those clerics Soviet Lardies, but we all know that Lardy is French. Many thanks for the great pics. The lardy bishops run counter to the general sleekness of Soviet designs, here reflected best in the rooks, which really don't belong in the same set as the bishops. The knights are particularly good examples of this ubiquitous design. I've received a few more vintage Soviet sets that I need to review. Very nice and rare designs.

While the original board is quite nice in its own respect, the pieces look much better when given air to breathe. 

Eye, the Robin Hood allusion certainly captures the ideoological component of wealth redistribution.

R, a couple of the Grandmaster designs have these demi-crosses. But not many of them. The Soviet design criteria were decidedly secular, and even when religious themes struggle to emerge, they're repressed.

I'd bet Arlindo has a picture of it in his archive.