Plastic Chess Pieces - Recommendations

I'm looking for a high quality set of chess pieces in plastic for my grandson.  3.75" King, weighted, etc.  I'd like to keep the cost under $50 USD.  I found a set called "The Collector Series" from House of Stanton that seems to fit the bill.  However, I've never done business with the House of Stanton folks and wanted to get some comments before making a purchase.

Any recommendations are sincerely appreciated.

The Collector is a very nice set, as is the Marshall set from HOS.  You might also take a look at this set from American Chess Equipment which seems to be inspired by the old Pacific Games Cavalier set.  It's a very good one too.

http://amchesseq.com/Bobby-Fischer-Series-Triple-Weighted-Chess-Set--375-King_p_148.html

also check out the Protourney set at The Chess Store.  They are very heavily weighted and also happen to be on sale at the moment.  I own both the black and camel and also the black and ivory and am very satisfied.

The Standard USCF Club Set with the standard 3 3/4 King should be just fine along with a Standard 2 1/4 inch board. Most kids quit after about a year anyway.

 I sincerely appreciate the thoughtful comments.

If you're willing to accept the butter yellow of the white pieces, the ultimate set from American Chess Equipment is pretty great.  I have an old House of Staunton plastic set from years ago and it is great.  I think the ultimate set is nicer to play with but not by much.

I would recommend the old Cavalier from Pacific Games, I think it's a very graceful, beautiful set, and it's also well-weighted. The only trouble is that it may break your intended budget, because you'll probably have to bid for it on eBay! Glad to hear you're putting quite a lot of thought into this. Remember that as a kid I used to go and have a look at the chess sets at the local book store; and I remember well having distinct preferences despite being only a little squirt! (Something which as persisted to this day, I want my chess sets to be 'just so'.)

That's very nice! Have you still got your set? I'm regularly checking on eBay to see if I can lay my hands on one. My preference is for white and black (or possibly maroon if it's in good condition) set, but recently there's mostly been marbled sets for sale. The modern reproductions are fine, too, but I like the original best.

Chess Sets for Club & Tournament Play...

https://www.chess.com/blog/RussBell/chess-sets-for-club-tournament-play

Also, you might find this forum thread interesting....the Cavalier Chess Set....

https://www.chess.com/forum/view/chess-equipment/cavalier-chess-set-1498?page=1

Many of the older Cavalier Sets (check eBay) are, IMO, of very high quality, more so than today's typical plastic sets. I purchased mine in 1989 and it continues to be my favorite plastic set - it appears to be the same set as pictured in posts #7 of this thread. Note that depending on the specific manufacturer and date of manufacture, there are have been several variants of the so-called "Cavalier" set - i.e., plastic, alabasque (which I am guessing is a kind of plastic made to simulate the look of alabaster) and even wood. My set is plastic and was made in the late 1980's and sold by USCF - the signature style of the set is the Knight's mane. For example the following set appears to be plastic-alabasque and of 1960's or '70's vintage. Regardless, for the price it appears to be a good deal, just for the pieces themselves....

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-1967-Cavalier-Chess-Set-Tournament-Edition-1498-Complete/183233175321?hash=item2aa98c5f19:g:xokAAOSwv~lauZAx

Or...another, current variation on the Cavalier theme...from Shelby Lorhman's American Chess Equipment which sells the set as their "Bobby Fischer" Set (but it's the Cavalier Set design as far as I am concerned.....I just noticed that this set was mentioned earlier in post #3 by Horace)....

https://www.chess.com/forum/view/chess-equipment/cavalier-deluxe-back-in-stock

http://amchesseq.com/Bobby-Fischer-Series-Triple-Weighted-Chess-Set--375-King_p_148.html

For examples of perspective on the pro's and con's of various plastic sets that have recently been offered, the following forum threads are worth checking out, just for the commentary. While these particular threads are specific to sets offered by HOS, the issues discussed are not confined to sets offered only by them. The common denominator for all retailers is that the overwhelming majority (if not all) of today's plastic sets are made in China, when the quality can be inconsistent.

https://www.chess.com/forum/view/chess-equipment/house-of-staunton-plastic-sets-part-1

https://www.chess.com/forum/view/chess-equipment/house-of-staunton-plastic-sets-part-2

https://www.chess.com/forum/view/chess-equipment/house-of-staunton-plastic-sets-part-3

https://www.chess.com/forum/view/chess-equipment/3-plastic-hos-375quot-sets-collector-zurich-amp-reykjavik

https://www.chess.com/forum/view/chess-equipment/zurich-series-plastic-set

I would recommend contacting any retailer you are considering buying from and inquiring about their return policy in case you are not satisfied, as well as any recommendations they may have. A couple of retailers that I consider to be very good in terms of integrity and excellent customer service are Raphael Neff's Chess House and Shelby Lohrman's American Chess Equipment. This is not to say that there aren't others who are reputable - it's just that I have had very good experiences dealing with these two.

I'd recommend the Ultimate Chess set, too. You can get it at Chess House. This is a photo of mine on a board made by Brad Borkowski of Colorado Woodworker on Etsy.

I did not realize that Raphael Neff's Chess House was also selling the Ultimate Chess Set.  Perhaps (but not sure of this) they are being supplied by Shelby Lorhman's American Chess Equipment, who recently initiated the reintroduction of this set.  Both of these are reputable dealers.

https://www.chesshouse.com/collections/club-tournament-chess-pieces/products/3-5-8-ultimate-chess-pieces

http://amchesseq.com/Ultimate-Chess-Set--Triple-Weighted--3-34-King_p_76.html

Be aware that the color of the "white" pieces of the Ultimate Chess Set is decidedly yellow.  Some have an issue with this, others don't.  But most appear to agree that, irrespective of the color, the quality is good...

https://www.chess.com/forum/view/chess-equipment/ultimate-chess-set?page=26

Finally, I purchased a solid wood board about a year ago on ETSY from Brad Borkowski - Colorado Woodworker.  I purchased the Brazilian Cherry, Walnut & Maple board.  The quality and craftsmanship is excellent, and the price is more than reasonable...I highly recommend him...

https://www.etsy.com/listing/498580706/brazilian-cherry-and-maple-drueke-style?ref=related-4

Thanks for all the terrific information @RussBell.  I found a 1960's Cavalier Chess set (1498 Tournament Edition Alabasque) on eBay in what appears to be very good condition for $25.  I pushed the "Buy It Now" button and hope to have the set in my possession sometime next week.

I also ordered the "Bobby Fischer Series" pieces from AMC and the HOS "Collector Series" and "Zurich Series".  I've also been considering ordering a set of the "Ultimate Chess" pieces being offered by Chess House and AMC. My grandson is not sure about the yellow color employed for this set, but it is not easy to tell from a computer screen?

Once I have all the sets "in hand" my grandson and I will start the process of picking the "first team".  When that process is complete, I'll post a final review and post on this thread with photos.  At least folks will know what a couple of rank amateurs like.

Salmo22 -

Very good.  I think your purchase decisions are reasonable.  All of the sets you chose have been recommended in various threads on this site.  And as I have mentioned, Amercan Chess Equipment and Chess House routinely get good press on this site for their exceptional customer service and integrity. 

Finally, the actual color of the so-called "white" pieces of the Ultimate Chess Set is in fact yellow - all who have purchased this set agree to this.  The issue is whether it will appeal to you.  Some hate the color, others are not bothered by it, while some actually like it.  To each his own. 

The following thread provides lots of perspective on this set, and the color issue...

https://www.chess.com/forum/view/chess-equipment/ultimate-chess-set?page=26

Based on the descriptor "alabasque" for the Cavalier set, I'm guessing that this is a type of plastic material manufactured to simulate the look of alabaster.  From the photos of some of the 1960's - '70's vintage Cavalier sets I've seen on eBay, this appears to be the case.  But again, this is only an (educated?) guess on my part.  My expectation is that you will like the set.  I will be curious to hear your feedback once you receive the set.

Good choices, Salmo22!

While I'm happy to get this 1498 Cavalier set in alabasque, I continue to seek a 1491 set. According to my research, the 1491 pieces are ivory/black and double weighted. The hunt for these old sets is proving to be a fun part of this journey with my grandson.

The yellow of the ultimate chess set looks just how it does in the pictures. In dark lighting it almost looks cream but in a normal light its a neon butter ( as someone describes it in an earlier form).