ID this vintage plastic set ?

What's on the bottom of these, is it felt or baize?

Slightly surprising to see a board from the 1950's with letters and numbers on it. I know that algebraic notation has been around a long time (since 1866 in fact) but the first time I saw anyone using it was about 1979 I think.

From the photo the board looks to be in remarkably good condition.  It shows no signs of aging.  In fact, appears to be in close to new, never used condition.  I'm skeptical that it is from 1958.

Hi Matt - The pieces have baize I believe.Not totally sure of the difference   .  I believe that board was a later addition to that set. Quite right about the algebraic notation. No one I have heard of used it in the 1950's . What I find encouraging is people on this thread were saying Australia and New Zealand before the second set pics surfaced. But the similarities to the Magistral knights can't be denied. Unless these sets were imported. A mystery for sure.

I know Russ. To me that doesn't add up. I think it was a later addition to the set. I am starting to think these pieces may have been imported into Australia/New Zealand from South America. 

That could be.  At this point, I am at a loss as to what to think.

You can see the criss-cross pattern of the weave in baize, whereas you can't with felt.

I believe then it's felt.

Boards with A to H, and 1 to 8 on the edge became ubiquitous in many European countries quite a long time ago. For instance, the boards used at the 1937 Olympiad in Stockholm had the edge letters and numbers. I enclose a photo of IA Horowitz in play at the Stockholm Olympiad. It doesn't show clearly, but white edge outside the stripe has numbers and letters.

Bon -

You may be correct with your assertion regarding Algebraic notation on the board in the photo.  However, I can't see it in the photo.  Also, I was not aware that Algebraic notation was in use in that period (the 1930's).  Is there extant evidence of that other than an unclear photo which can provide proof positive of this?  Based on my (incomplete) knowledge relating to the issue, I wouldn't have thought that Algebraic notation was in normal use back then, particularly to the extent of being used on chess boards, books. etc.  For instance, if Algebraic notation was used on boards, then there should be scoresheets annotated in Algebraic notation for that period.

Uhh! Uhh! Uhh! Come on! Hoo!

I gotta say, those pieces are in shape. Wherever they're from, they still got it.

Boards with notation was used in Munchen 1936 already.

Thanks to all who have contributed to this thread. Since I last visited here I have found a plethora of information and pictures regarding this sets link to Australia and New Zealand chess. And a definite link to  John Purdy. Mr. Purdy actually has this set on the cover of two(!) of his books. One an unusual silver and black version. And I found several pictures of the set being used in the Pan Pacific tournament in Canberra in 1960. I was also able to purchase the other set in this thread from a seller in Serbia due to the great kindness of a poster here  . Here are a few pictures I have found of the set. A definite high level tournament set for this part of the World. Cheers - Ron 

Ron -

Amazing!  You must have done a lot of detective work to discover that information.  I'm impressed!  So is this to say that you have found out who made the set?  Or that it was in fact made in Australia or New Zealand?

Also, regarding C.J.S. Purdy's book, "Guide to Good Chess".  I have several of his books, including that one.  It's a very good, instructive introduction to chess.  Lots of useful, practical tips in it.  He's an excellent writer, teacher of chess.

Thanks  . I ordered these books too lol. No info on where they were made. I am still up in the air as to whether they may have been imported by Mr. Purdy for retail. I have some 1950' Australian chess magazines coming that hopefully will have some ads for the set in them as well. Here's another pic on a link who's photo I couldn't download. Showing the Australian player Max Fuller with the set ... https://www.smh.com.au/national/chess-prodigy-did-his-own-tour-of-duty-20131017-2vpb3.html

Apologies, I posted two photos, but it seems one went AWOL. Here's another photo. This was taken around the same time, mid to late 1930s. Regarding algebraic notation, I'm afraid I have to set you straight. The descriptive and algebraic notation systems were developed side by side. In countries such as Germany, Sweden, Russia, and the rest of Central and Eastern Europe, used the algebraic from the mid to late 19th century onwards. Paul Rudolph von Bilguer and Thassilo von Heydebrand und der Lasa's Handbuch des Schachspiels, published in its first edition in 1843, used the long algebraic notation. It was revised and expanded in another seven editions over the course of nearly a century. In it they also pioneered the 'Informator/ECO' table-style of presenting opening theory as early as the 1870s (the Boys in Belgrade clearly took their inspiration from the Bilguer handbook). Carl Schlechter painstakingly compiled the last edition (with contributions by Teichmann, Spielmann and Tarrasch) during World War I. It's over 1,000 pages long. From the beginning, the handbook quickly acquired the status of Chess Player's Bible in continental Europe. A reference to 'Bilguer's Handbuch' or just 'Bilguer' was enough for everyone to know exactly what you were referring to - like 'ECO' of the 1970s, 80s and 90s, and ChessBase/Fritz/Houdini/AlphaZero today). The descriptive system was used in Anglo-Saxon countries, as well as Spain, France and Latin America.

And here's another one from the same era. The higher quality wooden boards, however, didn't get the lettering and the numbering until much more recently (and most of them still don't have it). But the cheap paper, cardboard and masonite boards had the numbers and letters printed/painted on them very early.

Thanks for the past couple of posts Bon, you've cleared up that mystery.

IpswichMatt: You're most welcome!

That's great to hear that you managed to clear up the mystery! I like this set very much.