Thanks for posting your vintage Drueke set Chuck. Unfortunately, most Ebay sellers fail to describe sets correctly. A caveat for all Ebay buyers.
Good point, Mike. But you are an example every seller should follow. You give us complete descriptions and tons of interesting photos that fully depict the set and every known defect.
I love everyone's stories and pictures. I bought this set for its nostalgia value, and it's great that I'm not alone.
cgrau: Wow! You take a beautiful photograph too.
My heart hurt when I saw the decapitated pawn. Thanks for the happy ending.
Which Drueke board -- Classic Drueke or New Drueke?
Thanks, Ipcress. It's the Classic.
Incidentally, I mentioned the pawn in my eBay feedback. The seller was quite apologetic and kindly offered a reasonable accomodation. If any of you are selling a pawn to this set, I now have some funds with which to buy it.
My friends and I played serious blitz with Druekes back in the day. I saw the felt rip and the weights come loose, but I never saw a broken piece.
Yes, there are a few loose weights. I might remove the felts and fix that.
Before I bought the above set (with my own paper route money) I was using this smaller, inexpensive plastic set.
This was a birthday present, back in 1972. Below is a photo of me as a kid, opening the gift on my birthday.
How do I remember it was 1972? Actually, I don't. But do you see that Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine in the bottom of the photo? I still have that issue! It's from December of 1972. And Bobby Fischer had just won the World Championship a couple of months earlier. I was into chess for the first time that summer.
Also notice my birthday cake in front of my G'ma is a chess board!
Great story and pics, Ed. Thanks for sharing!
<Heart> to your G'ma.
Thank you. Alas, my G'ma died in 2010, about one month shy of her 90th birthday.
Great story and pics, Ed. Thanks for sharing!
No problem!
<Heart> to your G'ma.
Thank you. Alas, my G'ma died in 2010, about one month shy of her 90th birthday.
I figured as much.
Mine made it to 94 in 1996. She saw the rise of the automobile, the airplane, radio, two world wars, nuclear weapons, television, computers and space travel.
Geronimo used to stop by her daddy's drug store in Oklahoma to drink a Dr. Pepper and smoke a cigar now and then. When he died, the whole town turned out for the funeral.
<Heart> to your G'ma.
Thank you. Alas, my G'ma died in 2010, about one month shy of her 90th birthday.
I figured as much.
Mine made it to 94 in 1996. She saw the rise of the automobile, the airplane, radio, two world wars, nuclear weapons, television, computers and space travel.
Geronimo used to stop by her daddy's drug store in Oklahoma to drink a Dr. Pepper and smoke a cigar now and then. When he died, the whole town turned out for the funeral.
Mine made it to a week shy of 101, and was sharp as a tack until the end, even though she never played chess or served Dr. Pepper to Geronimo. When she was born in 1894, Emmanuel Lasker beat Wilhelm Steinitz for the World Chess Championship.
That generation saw some stuff.
I think I am going to sell my Druke sets red & white and natural & black and buy this Legend chess set which looks more durable and just better looking.
Sells on eBay for $39.95 + $12.35 shipping. natural or ivory.
Anyome have a set that they want to comment on? The way I see it I can sell my Drueke red & white for $200+ and my natural & black for $100 + both in super mint condition. I really like the looks of the Legend set.
I am guessing Dennis is winding down and is no longer getting the sets made. Just my guess.
Hey MIke, you might want to consider the HOS Hastings plastic set. It looks very similar to the Legend Alegria set and its cheaper at $24.95
http://www.houseofstaunton.com/the-hastings-series-plastic-chessmen-3-875-king.html
BTW, I think your Drueke red and white set is worth a lot more than $200 IMO.
Here are the additional photos I promised.
Thanks for the nice pics Chuck!! Keep up the good work!
Those pieces look like they are in GREAT shape! Wow!
Those pieces look like they are in GREAT shape! Wow!
And to think they're the same age as some of those Soviet sets. Quite charming, I think.
Thanks for the nice pics Chuck!! Keep up the good work!
Thanks, Mike! Will do!
Those pieces look like they are in GREAT shape! Wow!
And to think they're the same age as some of those Soviet sets. Quite charming, I think.
Thanks, Ed, Up. I gave them a good wiping with a cloth pretty well embedded with Renaissance Wax. That cleaned them up, hid the wear, and gave them some luster.
Those pieces look like they are in GREAT shape! Wow!
And to think they're the same age as some of those Soviet sets. Quite charming, I think.
Thanks, Ed, Up. I gave them a good wiping with a cloth pretty well embedded with Renaissance Wax. That cleaned them up, hid the wear, and gave them some luster.
Seems the ol' man new what he was talking about when he pounded the table on Renaissance Wax being chess pieces drug of choice (plastic, wood, or any chess piece material) and bringing it to the attention of the forum. 
MrEd: De nada!
<Heart> to your G'ma.