Here are the pieces with their counterparts:
The respective armies:
The White
And the Black, in need of replacements:
The online chess museum guesses that the set could even be pre-WWI, but I have no problem with it having been produced in 1940. The 1940 stamp:
Yay! I like my set. Thanks, Wife!
Nice set!
UpcountryRain, A fantastic story and a fantastic set! Love all the pieces, especially the Bishops. What's the height of the King and Pawns? Thanks for the pics and sharing.
Thanks, goodknightmike. Yep, the Bishops do stand out.
You know, I'm trying to eyeball this thing the best I can, and the King seems to be about 96mm, just over 3.75 inches. The pawns look to be about 40mm, just over 1.5 inches.
This soviet set que is a pearl. The traditional brown patina,the aesthetics and equilibrium of this set make it a gem.
Great set, but above all ... a Wonderful WIFE.
Chess pieces there are many, women like your certainly few.Congratulations on the set, and the taste and creative imagination of your wife.
Thank you all kindly, gentlemen. Over the last two days I have become quite enamored with the set. There is not much I can add that you haven't already. My overall feeling is that while it may still be a relic of the Soviet Union, it seems to hearken back to the country's Imperial heritage. Perhaps I am just romanticizing.
And yes, I agree with you BurnAmos. The set is a pearl, a gem. But my greatest treasure is my Wife.
Sorry, nothing new here but a few pics. I was reviewing a few games yesterday with the set and was quite taken by the color in the morning light. A few of the black pawns were produced by Alan Dewey.
Up, thanks for sharing more pics of your gorgeous Soviet set.
Up, thanks for sharing more pics of your gorgeous Soviet set.
Thanks, goodknightmike. I couldn't help myself. 
That's quite kind, CSBFXE, but there are some really nice sets out there. Really nice sets.
Up, thanks for sharing more pics of your gorgeous Soviet set.
Thanks, goodknightmike. I couldn't help myself.
I understand how you feel Up, the set is so beautiful and you can't stop looking at it. And the thought of playing over games with this set is quite pleasant!
I understand how you feel Up, the set is so beautiful and you can't stop looking at it. And the thought of playing over games with this set is quite pleasant!
I know, goodknightmike, I know. If I had that HOS Steiner Set in antiqued boxwood and black poisonwood, I wouldn't know what to do.
About two weeks ago I did my usual online browsing to see if any new Soviet set was up for sale. This set offered on ebay immediately caught my eye: a USSR set with board made in 1940.
I did a quick google search because I remember seeing it before but could not remember where. Sure enough, I found a pic at the online chess museum.
So I went back to the ebay listing and looked at the set, looked at the set, looked at the set. I couldn't decide if I should buy it. I really wanted to, but I've been holding out for the Averbakh set and, who knows? What if I bought this 1940 set and someone offered the Averbakh set the next day?
I was in agony.
I raised the dilemma to my wife. "Just buy it," she said. I just looked and looked. We were about to leave the house to run some errands and I thought that if I came back home and nobody else bought it by then, then I will. So we left.
When we came home that afternoon it was gone. I could have punched myself. I let another old set slip by. And one not frequently seen. In fact, I've only seen it at the online chess museum. Well, no use crying now.
Even until a couple of nights ago I recall looking at the old ebay listing thinking to myself that I was a fool for not buying it when I had the chance. See, my late father was born in 1940, was in the Army and an old-time cold warrior. Who knows what he'd have thought seeing a Soviet set up close and pesonal. Oh well.
Yesterday evening I returned home from work with my wife and found a box sitting on the counter from Lithuania. It was the 1940 set. Turns out my wife bought it for me before we left to run errands and never told me. Surprise!
Here are some pics. (I apologize for the quality and lighting.)
As you can see, it is missing two black pawns. I contacted Alan Dewey and am hoping that he will come to the rescue. Aside from that, the set is in great shape considering it's 76 years old.
The White line-up: