Official Staunton's 1870 Chessmen, a Video Review:Chess Set of the Year

http://www.officialstaunton.com/collections/chess-pieces/products/1870-reproduction-staunton-ebony-chessmen

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86U3lSFeYQk

Official Staunton has made a significant impact on collectors like myself with its recent offerings. Their  1849, 1851 and 1870 reproduction chessmen to name a few. But the 1870 Chessmen may be the best premium quality set to come down the pike since the original antique Jaques sets and certainly gets my vote for chess set of the year. These chessmen can easily send you into a "time warp" back to those vintage Jaques sets.  The pieces are finely turned and simply gorgeous. The striped ebony pieces leave an lasting impression. The boxwood pieces are uniform in color and exhibit a beautiful finish and polish. And there's something special about the awesome hand carved Knights with those pin-hole eyes. The heavily weighted pieces are a delight to handle. This set is visually pleasing and has a great board presence. A "must have " set for the serious collector and for those who can't afford a vintage Jaques set.

I agree, Mike. Excellent video review. This set is my favorite Jaques reproduction, and I have more than a few... After I reorganize my photos I'll post some here...

On a 2.5" House of Staunton Elm Burl Board...

Some profiles...

The knights with the pin-hole knights Mike mentioned...

Thanks Chuck, and thanks for posting some great shots of the 1870 set

You're very welcome, Mike. Here are some close-ups of the other pieces. The kings...

The queens...

The rooks...

The bishops, with their scooped miter cuts...

And the pawns...

Those pieces really seem to be enjoying their nachtmusik. That's 32 connosieurs we're dealing with here, make sure you treat them to some Wolfgang on a regular basis, that should keep them (and you) happy for many years to come.