Help Me Decide

I am currently agonizing over buying the HoS Pawn Sacrifice Commerative Chess set or not.

I already have that set in Golden Rosewood, but am thinking I might want the black set to be more like the 1972 match.  I need to decide by tonight as the 20% sale goes away after today.  With this sale and my  Collector's Club discount, the set can be bought for an even $300, including shipping.

The price kind of bothers me for this Ebonized set as The Official Staunton Company is selling one in true Ebony for about $20 more.  The HoS version in Ebony is $595.

The problem I have with the OSC set is the Bishops have their tops being too rounded compared to the original set.  The HoS set looks about identical to the original.

What color board do you fellows think would go best with a set that has the Black pieces of Ebonized or Ebony?  Understand that I only own 2 of 14 sets with Ebonized pieces.  And neither one is a set design or size I can say compares to the others I have in any of the Rosewoods or Walnut.

So, do you guys think this Ebonized set is worth $300 delivered?  Are there better ones out there for a lesser price?

And what color board would you use with this set if you had it?

300 dollars is way too much money to spend on an ebonized set, don't get strung up by the "OFFICIAL PAWN SACRIFICE MOVIE SET" nonsense they're using to jack the price up.  

Oh, I'm not hung up on it being a movie set at all.

I bought this exact set in Golden Rosewood for something like $142 delivered.  I really like that set for design and handling.  The set was on Clearance and had an initial full retail price of $400.  HoS has had this design for awhile and continues to sell the set in Ebony for $595 and Blood Rosewood for $635.  Sure, the same discounts apply making the Ebony set $450 delivered,  but I don't want to spend that amount of money on that set.

As I said, I really like the set in Golden Rosewood and wouldn't mind buying the Ebonized version, but I kind of feel it's too expensive.

You could use that money to buy icecream for children instead of adding another chess set to your collection. Just whispering here...

Will you agonize more if you lose this opportunity and regret having not spent the 300 bucks?

That might be worse because the sets won't be available anymore and if you REALLY want one then, you'll have to buy someone else's.

Yes, that's true, but I already buy and give needy children chess sets and boards at the school my wife teaches. 

I would say go for it Eye Doc.! If they are going to be DC'd soon you will be very sorry later on. If I was not stocked up with a dozen sets, I would jump on it myself.!

I don't think "ebonized" is worth that kind of money.

HoS is releasing conmemorative stuff all the time. It is just some slight variation of the same stuff and then come with the "limited editions" "one on a life time oportunity" and what not and then just repeat againg. So honestly you can let this one pass and in few months there will be other collectors limited same stuff.

All this wording doesn't really worth the money.

Eyechess,

For the most part, HOS often adds a premium for their popular commemorative sets. Having bought an HOS 4.25" British Chess Co. (1936 Nottingham) commemorative set in ebony on eBay for $320, $300 seems a bit dear for an ebonized set. But if that's what you want, then $300 seems a fair price for a high quality chess set that you'll enjoy playing with.

Personally, I think their Mechanic's Institute commemorative set, at $200-$220, is a great bargain! It's built like a brick sh*thouse and is lots of fun to play with.]

Yeah, I know Lou.  You're right.  I already have the set, albeit in Golden Rosewood and can enjoy playing Chess with those pieces on a lighter colored board.  I assure you I have enjoyed this set.

I guess it comes down to the question of whether it's worth $300 to get a black version of the light Rosewood set.

And I tell you the fact that it is Ebonized for that price is the thing holding me back.  If they offered the set for $200 - $225, before any discounts, then this topic would not exist as I would already have one on order.

The only thing keeping my attention is how well the pieces are made.  I'm here to say that the set plays very nicely.

David, in all honesty they are not overpricing the set because it is a commerative model.  The same set in Golden Rosewood retailed for the same $395 when the had that wood option and before putting it on Clearance.  The Golden Rosewood and Ebonized are worth about the same wherever you look.  So, they are not having the price too high because of the movie.

No, they are having the price too high, in my opinion, just because it has always been that high.  I guess I was spoiled getting the Golden Rosewood version so cheap.

I just went to eBay and searched the House of Staunton sets.

They used to indeed have this exact same set in Golden Rosewood and Ebonized at $149 in their Clearance area.  Today I saw both sets on eBay for sale at $395.  They also had the Ebony and Blood Rosewood version in the $600 zone.

I just checked the HOS website out of curiosity because of this thread, and realised that the price includes a nice box. Still a bit pricy for an ebonised 3,75 inches in my opinion, but this way is more acceptable

Yes, from their previous pricing of this set, the movie set along with the nice box is a better deal than they offered before.

As the day goes on I come back to this situation and forum and I'm still feeling that this is more than I want to spend for an Ebonized set.

Consider that you can buy the real ebony version of the set from the official Staunton at about the same price:

http://www.officialstaunton.com/collections/chess-pieces/products/reykjavik-series-ebony-chessmen

The knight seems a bit different, but otherwise the design looks the same

Wow. Stuff is expensive these days

Just pretend it's ebony.

Hey Doc, senior here, I agree with 9. Pick it up and screw the ice cream. Here's maybe a thought for you and a good reason why-I always have regreted selling soon after '72 one of the Jaques sets I had purchased in the 60's as a younger man. As ya know, many moons later I purchased several years ago the all leather bottom 40th F-S. My daughter was born in '72, right smack in the middle of the tournament. My family calls it her birth right set and many family memories with the youngens accompany it today. That set resides in their home now, but I'm still allowed to play it now and then, that's if I wash my hands lol. Your family all together attending the movie is one of those memory keepers I'm guessing. Money can't buy that kinda thing, so pass it on someday with it's wear and tear along with it's story and memories. I'm sure your younger family now will certainly talk about that set and day fondly in the distant future along with the memories and stories that might go along with it that someday they probably will cherish. Regards Doc... Sr.

One more reason why, my son and grandson said, you'll be awarded an additional 100 master point if purchased.

You know, I had decided to pass on this set because I felt it was too expensive for the Ebonized.

Well then Rob, Senior of D2, gets on here and along with 9kick9 encourages me to just buy the darned thing.

The set really looks nice and is the closest duplicate of the set used in 1972 that I have seen.

Having it in Black brings the true commemoration of that match.

I actually prefer the Ebonized over the Ebony because in the Midwest there is less a chance of cracking.

The set handles and is balanced very well.  I know because I own it in Golden Rosewood.

It comes with a Chess box included.  I ordered the Mahogany one.

The size works very well on a 2.25" board and might even do alright on a touch smaller, but only a touch.

Fait accompli.

Fait accompli... a thing that has already happened or been decided before those affected hear about it, leaving them with no option but to accept. From French, literally, an accomplished fact.

Congratulations ! 

Eyechess,

I have the ebonized HOS Dubrovnik set, and I have to tell you, the ebonizing is so good on this set, after polishing, it's hard to tell the difference between the ebonized and real McCoy.

Since most ebony pieces are being stained/ebonized these days to provide a more consistent finish, why pay extra for a wood that's more likely to crack, chip, and split?

I have only one real ebony set in my collection, a BCC repro I got from HOS via an eBay auction a couple of years back, and two remaining ebonized sets. Over time, I discovered that I much prefer brown/reddish pieces (sheesham and rosewoods) to black ones.

Bravo on pulling the trigger, enjoy your new set. Post some pics when the set comes in.

Was it cheaper than your rosewood version of the same set?