Does anyone collect chess sets?

There are so many different sets - vintage, themed, wooden, stone, etc. Does anyone here collect sets? What do you consider to be your most unique and prized set? What do you like? What do you not like?

-=- Boris

I only have 4, but I am always on the lookout for anymore I'd like to aquire...

I collect plastic sets. 

Just kidding.  But I do have 3 plastic chess sets:

• Unweighted USCF camel/black set
• Unweighted USCF silver/gold set (just a novelty)
• Triple-weighted Staunton ivory/black set (my tournament set)

Though being a student, "collecting: sets is pretty much out of the question for me.

I have 21 chess set. But the most unique thing I have is a Chess board made with butterfly wings.

                         WITHOUT ANY LIGHT!

 The next one is a shot that has a reflection of a tree that is in front of  his home. You must look carefully, look for the limbs in the white squares. Then look at the overall photo of it to see the whole three.

http://www.chess.com/forum/view/chess-equipment/my-butterfly-wings-and-other

This is my top set:

...but I love 'em all, from this one on up:

I have probably 6 or 7 different sets a nice wooden set and board that i use at home a stone set with a marble board but my favorite is a wooden set my wife had a friend pick up one year when he was in Moscow, nobody plays on it it just sits there and looks pretty

I make chess sets.  Though not in a few years, but Im getting back into it. My most ornate set was a sculpted stone set I made in 2008 for a boy named Payton.  It was a viking set with two opposing armies done in historical style based on the battle of Stamford Bridge and later the battle of Hasting. Each piece had handcarved chainmail, matching armor etc. The white side was in grey stone and the black side in red stone.  Each piece was 4.5 inches save the king and queen who were 5".  Wish I had taken some photos.

My most disliked set was of a civil war set I saw in a store were every piece looked so much alike it could have been checkers.

I always wanted to make a set out of Lego's after going to the Lego's store in a mall in Chicago...

I also colect chess sets i even posted pictures of it on mr edcollins' post although i counldnt find the thread anymore.

Cool beans, That was Josh Waizkin's first set in the movie "searching for Bobby Fisher"

jbskaggs wrote:

nameno1had wrote:

I always wanted to make a set out of Lego's after going to the Lego's store in a mall in Chicago...

That would figure, I did miss the very begining of that movie....I am not sure the year he had that, but I have wanted to do this since I was in high school, about 1990...

Cool beans, That was Josh Waizkin's first set in the movie "searching for Bobby Fisher"

My son and I do not have any formal chess set right now. Here is what we have been using so far. It's starting to get worn but I think it will make a great collectors piece for him one day with the memories.

-- Boris

I think I'm starting to collect chess sets.  The first one I ever owned was a folding wooden set I got in the Philippines.  Had that for years but never played on it much (didn't know anyone who played).  Then I bought a small (7" square board) stone/onyx set in Mexico.  Went back about 3 years ago and bought a larger marble/onyx set which is much easier to play on than the tiny set, which now basically just sits on a shelf and looks pretty.  Then before Christmas I made a board from a piece of plywood and bought a wooden set to play on it.  And to top it off, my wife bought me an LED chess set & board which has special pieces which light up in either blue or white as they sit on the board.  Oh then I also have a small, el-cheapo set I bought for a few bucks to use as a study board, but then I don't use it since I look at positions on the computer. 

I bought my son a $20 folding set for his second birthday because he loved playing with my Philippines wooden set so much I was afraid he'd lose the pieces.  He lost a black pawn from his set but luckily we finally found it tucked away under the cushions in the couch.

I have a wooden chess board with 45 years or so that was from my uncle,he has a chess set of wooden pieces covered in varnish at a great state

I am almost reluctant to say that I do indeed collect chess sets and have over 30.  They range from beautiful to simple and cheap.  Sometimes I buy a set from somewhere I traveled as memorabilia.  Some are unique.  Some are useful, like travel sets.  Some are pegged.  Some are pocket sized.  I also collect chess clocks and chess books.  Yes, I freely admit I have a problem.  I just love chess.  LOL

Laser

The most amusing part, or sad depending on your view, is that I am not very good at chess.

Being good or not has nothing to do with your love of the game.  Otherwise there'd be no sports fans.  What matters is do you enjoy it.

Hello,

 I collect chess sets and have a few, the ones that are my favorite are all over four inch...I don't like metal chess pieces much and only collect wooden staunton style variations...The set I prize the most is my HOS Lasker.

Point taken!  And yes, I love to play chess.  I play almost daily.  I just wish I could play more OTB chess.  It is so much more enjoyable to use actual pieces instead of manipulating an electronic board with a mouse.  Plus I like the feel of tapping a real clock.

I bought glass/crystal set from a guy a used to work with. It was never used, $20. I am affraid to use it unless it is a special occasion and controlled environment though...

yay or nay on glass/crystal ?