The Japanese Golden Castle "The Craftsman" Master Set
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cgrau
Sep 17, 2017
0
#41
Many thanks, Mike!
Thanks for sharing Chuck!!
Sep 18, 2017
0
#43
Wow, very nice... do you actually play with this set, or is it just for show?
Sep 18, 2017
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#44
I don't know if cgrau likes chess but he sure likes chess pieces 
Look at all of those beautiful sets.
cgrau wrote:
Frank, Golden Castle did indeed make their 3" set with different knights. Check out Frank Camaratta's research on his antique website.
I learned something new. Thanks Chuck 
cgrau wrote:
8
Here is my Golden Castle "The Craftsman" Master set, acquired from Chris Wainscott and expertly restored by Alan Dewey. The set is of sixties vintage. The kings are 3 inches tall. Alan carved both White knights, turned two white pawns, and repaired a number of pieces. A truly unique feature of this set is that each side's knight pair has two different types of knight.
Sep 18, 2017
0
#48
PastotJLM wrote:
Wow, very nice... do you actually play with this set, or is it just for show?
Many thanks! I haven't played with it yet. It's kind of small. It will be great for analysis, though.
Sep 18, 2017
0
#49
PolicyDebater wrote:
I don't know if cgrau likes chess but he sure likes chess pieces Look at all of those beautiful sets.
LOL, Debater. I play with many of them, because, yes, I do like chess.
Sep 18, 2017
0
#50
FrankHelwig wrote:
cgrau wrote:
Frank, Golden Castle did indeed make their 3" set with different knights. Check out Frank Camaratta's research on his antique website.
I learned something new. Thanks Chuck
It's always a pleasure to share information with you Frank. You're one of the most knowledgeable collectors around!
Sep 18, 2017
0
#51
It's bugged me a little that while this set fit the description of the "Artisan" set on Frank C.'s antique site, my set clearly was named the Master set on the label.
Frank and I conversed about this on the Facebook Chess Collector group page, and he suggested, as I recall, that perhaps my set was mislabeled. I think I have solved the mystery. It seems that in at least 1961, Golden Castle was marketing its 3" set as the "Master." Here is an ad run in a 1961 issue of Chess Review:
Sep 18, 2017
0
#52
Chuck, the price was a fair amount of money at the time. It's just a guess, but it looks to me like the objective was to market a set that would be used (a lot) while at the same time being visually impressive. As always, thanks for sharing.
Sep 18, 2017
0
#53
Noswals wrote:
Chuck, the price was a fair amount of money at the time. It's just a guess, but it looks to me like the objective was to market a set that would be used (a lot) while at the same time being visually impressive. As always, thanks for sharing.
You're very welcome, Walt! Great observations. Recently a 3.5" Craftsman went for about $1,250 on EBay. Another has been listed for $2,450.
cgrau wrote:
Recently a 3.5" Craftsman went for about $1,250 on EBay. Another has been listed for $2,4500.
Wow... Not that I intend to sell mine, but that's a significant price inflation...
Sep 19, 2017
0
#57
FrankHelwig wrote:
cgrau wrote:
Recently a 3.5" Craftsman went for about $1,250 on EBay. Another has been listed for $2,4500.
Wow... Not that I intend to sell mine, but that's a significant price inflation...
Yup. They listed for $35 in the sixties. One inflation calculator tells me that's about $287 in today's dollars. They were first advertised in Chess Review in March 1950. The last ads appeared in 1970, at least that I could find. I didn't find ads for the Grandmaster set until 1969. I saw my Master set advertised only in 1960 and '61. I know of only two Master sets. Mine, and the one Mike sold. I'd like to get a 3.5" Craftsman because I actually could play with it. Mine is a bit too small.
cgrau wrote:
I'd like to get a 3.5" Craftsman because I actually could play with it. Mine is a bit too small.
It took me about 3 years to get a Craftsman w/ box... They don't show up too often, which is probably why the price has gone up so much... As for playability - I like playing w/ 3.5" size sets probably more than w/ large club-size sets, and the Craftsman is right in the sweetspot for me.
Sep 19, 2017
0
#59
cgrau wrote:
Recently a 3.5" Craftsman went for about $1,250 on EBay. Another has been listed for $2,450.
Can you post a link to either of those sets on ebay please?
Sep 19, 2017
0
#60
IpswichMatt wrote:
cgrau wrote:
Recently a 3.5" Craftsman went for about $1,250 on EBay. Another has been listed for $2,450.
Can you post a link to either of those sets on ebay please?
The first one actually went for $1,027 when I double checked it. The second one also sold for a lot less than the seller was asking. I'm not really at liberty to say for how much.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Allan-Troy-Chess-Set-Imitation-Staunton-from-Japan/152659052510?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649
http://www.ebay.com/itm/vintage-Craftsman-Staunton-Pattern-Chessmen-Golden-Castle-Co-Ltd-Chess-Figures/253006593950?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649