Chess Pieces Made of Horn
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I think that chess pieces made out of horn are pretty. Has anyone here played on one? How do they feel? Are they practical, durable and worth the cost? Do you think they are equal to, worse than or better than wooden pieces?
I have several chess sets made of horn and they feel excellent. It is a very nice haptic experience to play with them. The ones I have seen, were not overly expensive, so definitely worth the cost. Compared to wood, horn is harder and heavier than most wood species (not sure about tropical hard woods, though), but lighter and more elastic than bone. Unlike wooden sets, horn chess sets are usually not weighted. It is a question of taste in the end.
Here are a few examples of horn chess sets which I am also showing in my book:
Very nice sets Holger.
@dunkleosteus430 They can be excellent and I think horn is quite special. Horn pieces have a very premium feel and the material allows for very fine finishing. The sets seem fairly durable, I think moreso than bone, but finer carvings naturally encourage more careful handling. The weight on mine is quite nice, although not particularly heavy. That being said, for regular play I prefer larger, club-style wood sets. 3.25" king below.
