Yes I need to take a dose of my own medicine Dave 😄.
@lighthouse yes looks like a nice board although way out of my price range.
I agree the other one l found looks bit flimsy and I certainly wouldn't buy a newer version that had damage either.
I do like the look of these boards though.
I'm also into Jaques board but on the amateur level. From what I've seen sofar all Jaques vintage boards on the pro level price range all have those wooden mdf sort-of on the back so all veneers.
I had a quote back from an antique restorer to fill the crack in the damaged square and replace the one that is missing a section. They also suggested a clean/polish of the board, although I am not sure about doing that.
The cost provided was £195 which is much better than the previous quote!
I also found the below link to a similar board sold on Tim's site which suggests that my board is from 1900 - 1930:
REF1530 Jaques Chess Board. - Antique Chess Shop
Dang thats a lot of money and it really doesn't look that bad, but its possible that they are quoting for some complex problems that they can't identify without getting their hands on the board. For that amount of money you'd want a really good result and throwing money at it may be the best option depending how far you want to go. Assuming that you can live with a level of imperfection, here are some thoughts from an anonymous random on the internet...
Has the frame warped, or is it just dirt and shadow? If its just some slight movement or opening of the joint I'd leave it alone.
Is it just those two pieces of veneer that are lifting or are there more? How loose are they? Did they get wet and warp when the glue under them softened and they lifted? The discolouring may be a surface thing or it may extend into the wood. You need to get some kind of glue under them to stick them back down. This is where it gets scary, the best option, if they have a lot of crud under them or glue that has formed a lump, would be to remove them and re-stick them, and how feasible this is depends on what the original glue. is If they are really loose and do not sit down perfectly flat then take it to a professional (this is part of what might have increased your quote).
The finish is a complex question, there are some awkward possibilities there that might have blown up your quote (shellac is easy, everything else is a bit of a pain). Clean it with a little turpentine (the wood kind smells nice) and a rough cloth to remove the grunge. Using the finest steel wool and some hard cabinetmakers wax would remove more grunge, provide a bit of shine and hide a lot of the scratches. Someone will recommend Renaissance wax, thats up to you, its a polythene wax and is not famous for coming off again (which is something to think about if you want to get the board refinished or professionally repaired later).
As for the solid wood idea, at that age they would be mostly (if not entirely) veneered boards.
I also found the below link to a similar board sold on Tim's site which suggests that my board is from 1900 - 1930:
ok, French Polish is shellac (polished), so the finish can be cleaned and repaired fairly easily.
Dang thats a lot of money and it really doesn't look that bad, but its possible that they are quoting for some complex problems that they can't identify without getting their hands on the board. For that amount of money you'd want a really good result and throwing money at it may be the best option depending how far you want to go. Assuming that you can live with a level of imperfection, here are some thoughts from an anonymous random on the internet...
Has the frame warped, or is it just dirt and shadow? If its just some slight movement or opening of the joint I'd leave it alone.
Is it just those two pieces of veneer that are lifting or are there more? How loose are they? Did they get wet and warp when the glue under them softened and they lifted? The discolouring may be a surface thing or it may extend into the wood. You need to get some kind of glue under them to stick them back down. This is where it gets scary, the best option, if they have a lot of crud under them or glue that has formed a lump, would be to remove them and re-stick them, and how feasible this is depends on what the original glue. is If they are really loose and do not sit down perfectly flat then take it to a professional (this is part of what might have increased your quote).
The finish is a complex question, there are some awkward possibilities there that might have blown up your quote (shellac is easy, everything else is a bit of a pain). Clean it with a little turpentine (the wood kind smells nice) and a rough cloth to remove the grunge. Using the finest steel wool and some hard cabinetmakers wax would remove more grunge, provide a bit of shine and hide a lot of the scratches. Someone will recommend Renaissance wax, thats up to you, its a polythene wax and is not famous for coming off again (which is something to think about if you want to get the board refinished or professionally repaired later).
As for the solid wood idea, at that age they would be mostly (if not entirely) veneered boards.
Thank you for the advice.
I think the initial quote was so high because I approached a fine art antique restorer in London who usually deal with restoration of antiques well into £10,000+.
The second quote of £195 seems more accurate, although I just need to decide the level of work to be done.
The board is not warped at all and there are no loose pieces - the only real issues are the damage/cracks in the veneer. I need to address this through sympathetic repair but it's whether I also ask for a polish/refinish or not.
This will be a board I use for a long time and although I want to keep it as original as possible, part of me think that a light polish/refinish might actually be the best course of action so it brings it to the same standard as the one I linked from Tim's site above (which I am sure would have gone through a light refinishing itself).
A light polish and refinish of a shellac finished item is less intrusive than refinishing more recent finishes. Shellac sticks to shellac and can be remobilised with some alcohol to even it out, so the finish need not be stripped, just cleaned and repaired.
As for the solid wood idea, at that age they would be mostly (if not entirely) veneered boards.
Greg , Thanks , So would a solid wooden chess board be a more modern incarnation ? As its so easy to find 2nd hand or new veneered boards across europe .
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Greg , Thanks , So would a solid wooden chess board be a more modern incarnation ? As its so easy to find 2nd hand or new veneered boards across europe .
I would think so. Veneering is very common in old furniture and was done with great skill, it has some benefits over solid wood, not least of which is that it results in a simpler and more robust object (fewer structural joints) than blocks, and it uses less of the expensive woods that are veneered (and so is cheaper, which was an issue even in the 19th century). All those things still apply.
Going on your photo, looks like a inlaid sq board not a solid wooden board , That's Why the restoration quote was high ?
I Would have got the Jaques tournament set first, then look for a good solid wooden board as this day & age there is a buyers choice on bespoke chess boards , OK not antique Jaques but way cheaper than the quote you got given
I thought all Jaques boards were veneered. Were there some that were solid wood?
I am sure there must have been ? As back then chess was for the Upper class & the new rising middle class , Would have been spoilt for choice on what you could custom order with Jaques of London in it's prime & new found disposable income & goods from the colonies .
I would think so as well. However, all of the ones I've seen and read about are inlaid boards. I have no idea why inlaid was done over solid wood.
Received my Jaques chess board back today from repair and very happy with the work done at a cost of £120, which is extremely reasonable for around 6 hours worth of work.
The repair to the veneer is very neat and it hasn't affected the natural wear and age of the board at all. It has also had a very light clean and French Polish but is not too glossy at all. Nice to give it some life again and it will be well used for another half century or so at least!
I also think it pairs very nicely with my newly acquired Jaques chess set and the bonus is they are both from the same era (1910-1915).
Beautiful! There is nothing quite like true, actual age to make something stately.
Beautiful! I am so jealous. Congrats on the purchase and restoration!
Looks very nice shaunlawler 
@shaunlawler EXCELLENT! It's amazing to think that after 100+ years, the chess pieces and board are united together thanks to you. Like a long lost Jaques family reunion. Enjoy the heck out them! Uhhh, carefully...
Going on your photo, looks like a inlaid sq board not a solid wooden board , That's Why the restoration quote was high ?
I Would have got the Jaques tournament set first, then look for a good solid wooden board as this day & age there is a buyers choice on bespoke chess boards , OK not antique Jaques but way cheaper than the quote you got given
I thought all Jaques boards were veneered. Were there some that were solid wood?
I am sure there must have been ? As back then chess was for the Upper class & the new rising middle class , Would have been spoilt for choice on what you could custom order with Jaques of London in it's prime & new found disposable income & goods from the colonies .