Post Your Chess Sets

It's as if their dentures are a little loose!

Ooh! That dentures crack hurt Dave.....I just got hit with an unexpected $4800.00 dental bill for biting into a frozen Kind Bar.....I'll never refrigerate them again.....Drats.

Ouch (on many levels)! I think I'll stick with my (unfrozen) Snickers, thanks.

But the good news is you've definitely earned a new "comfort set"...

A bag of Dot’s Pretzels on sale cost me $1300 out of pocket for a crown where there had been a tooth. That’s after my dental insurance paid half.

Why are we talking about teeth in this thread?

Do people usually chew on their chess pieces?

Hahaha, see the first 3 photos of post #3011.

I saw them. Are you suggesting there are tooth marks? I don’t see those.

I see a lot of wear. The wear resembles my oldest plastic set that stems from many years of jostling inside a bourbon bag.

@Ziryab

If you go back and look at the knights in those photos, you'll notice they have some pretty wicked choppers. Like they gave those knights some crazy teeth. Lmaooo That's why all the tooth talk. They aren't wrong either. 🤣🤣🤣

Well, Chyna (Lhasa Apso) chewed up a pawn.

I have a set with the same knights.

The seller (eBay) said they were Lardy. I think maybe Chavet. Still uncertain. The set is posted in this thread, I believe. Perhaps two years ago. That’s when I bought the set. July 2022.

Here is what I think in French, but especially in English when Google offers a translation.

In my opinion, there is a reference in terms of French sets, it is Nicholas Lannier. On his website we discover many sets, many assertions, undoubtedly based on his knowledge and experience.

What amazes me, what surprises me, what questions me: "Nicholas, one of the oldest, if not the first French manufacturers, the one who worked with Jaques, is missing in all the French sets that you offer us on your site. Tell me why!"

Unfortunately, I will never have this conversation with you, Nicholas. I would have liked you to explain to me, to contradict me, but I will only have silence as a companion to a semblance of an answer.

What are proto-Lardy? Sets that are not Lardy but that Lardy would have copied?
Sets that are better attributed to Lardy without being able to verify it? Or sets whose origin you don't know? It is however possible to verify that Lardy never made sets before 1920!!! The prototypes would not exist...

Why did you NEVER talk about Alexandre and Ernest Pichon? Why did you never mention the exclusivity between Vincent and Jaques until 1914 concerning the Staunton? Why was only Vincent able to make Staunton sets in France until that date?

And even after 1914, who made them, since Vincent could no longer do it?

Nicholas, I learned a lot of things by reading you, by looking at the sets that you offer us to discover, and I thank you very much for that. But I also think it is time to bring other facts to finally discover the real story that links the French Staunton sets to the English sets.

That it is time to distinguish the sets of Vincent from those of Chavet and then those of Lardy, eventually... 

To follow

Interesting observations @Walterbiensur - I am looking forward to this exploration of the history between French Staunton and English Staunton pieces.👍

@Walterbiensur

As you are aware Walter, those answers will only be coming from you and others. I had some questions for Nicholas as well. His museum continues to be a valuable resource for collectors.

http://www.chess-museum.com/index.html

Thank you for your continued research in making the French, English connections.

I. Am. Hopeless. Just ordered two mor sets of (plastic) chessmen. Why?

Why not? Can you show us the sets on the site where you ordered them?

I purchased this Baku reproduction during House of Staunton's Black Friday sale. I've been looking for rosewood pieces to try on my black and white HoS clearance board. Indian rosewood was only a small surcharge relative to "blood rosewood". I had been trying to decide between the HoS reproductions based on sets from Chuck Grau's collection. Despite reassurances about the tall Ukrainian pieces, I opted for the more traditionally proportioned Baku. I already have the tall Odessa set. Unfortunately, the Bronstein set was only available in ebony.

Wonderful set, @mjeman. Looks very nice on that board and the pieces look very good.

Congrats on the acquisition.

Thanks @Rsava. I really like the look of the rosewood.

Gorgeous set! I actually think the Baku reproduction looks best in Indian rosewood. I have it wishlisted to get at some point. I only wish the set was a bit heavier. But alas. The originals are unweighted I believe.

The Bronstein set is also really beautiful. I’m actually bidding on an original Bronstein set right now, although with an unconventional spike finial. It’s a cheap little set. The reproduction looks so nicely polished compared to the originals. And I think it actually looks best in ebony! But yeah, Indian rosewood goes incredibly well with your chess board. Beautiful!