I can vouch for Mandeep's work, I have several sets from him and the quality he delivers every time is just exceptional. This is another work of art he delivers, I just can tell from the pictures which are beautiful btw.
One thing I'd like to add, very seldom I see sets of this caliber in the size I like which is 3.5"-3.75". Too often I see beautiful sets but they're all in the 4.4" range. Nothing wrong with that for display but not really practical for playing imo.
Quite an event this week when the Hallett chess pieces arrived at my doorstep from Amritsar!
Delhi to Cambridge in 3 days & no tax to pay!
The William Hallett of High Holborn, circa 1840 reproduction chess set by Staunton Castle has landed!
The project has taken a year, from inspiration to the finished ‘product’ (though I’d call this Staunton Castle chess set a work of art), and after much research and countless emails, feedback and modifications, what a joy to finally hold these gorgeous chess pieces in the hand!
Well-weighted and elegant the pieces are an ergonomic as well as an aesthetic delight. The chess set is pleasingly faithful to the original in the precise and fine carving of individual pieces and in the ensemble gracefulness of the whole set.
The inspiration for the Hallett project was partly the great success of Holger Langer's Augustea set, which proved that historically-accurate, 'authentic' reproductions are achievable: and partly finding photos of a rare William Hallett set in Jon Crumiller's private collection.
This particular set has a slender and stately elegance I had not seen before. It was a gift to be able to base our reproduction on an individual ‘living’ set rather than upon design plans.
Jon very kindly supported our project with his permission, photos and critical feedback, without which this William Hallett reproduction set could not have come into being.
Mandeep and I had already worked together on a historically-accurate Northern Upright reproduction set with great success and having bought a few chess sets from Staunton Castle I had confidence in the very high standard of workmanship of his wood carvers.
The quality of any product is the quality of the process, and the process has been demanding in terms of 'fine-tuning' the detail - 'going back' continually to the angles and proportions of the original chess pieces. We have 'wasted' time and quite a few prototypes in our striving for accuracy. Though I have played the unrelenting role of critic throughout, Mandeep's patience and perseverance have been exemplary. It’s true to say that my concerns have not just been listened to but acted upon. I trust that the superlative nature of the William Hallett set is evidence that our struggle has been a fruitful one!
Back to the moment of opening the box, having stabbed myself in the finger with my Opinel and trying not to bleed all over the pristine pieces, I wrapped my finger and unwrapped the King and then said quietly out loud;
"It's a beautiful set, Mandeep".
An entire day had been spent just getting the cross finial of the King right, not to mention all the work we put in to replicate precisely his 'cogged' crown. This was the first time for me to witness the results and I was deeply impressed, or blown away!
Next out of the box was the Knight, another piece that we had found challenging. I was delighted that this chap was distinctively Victorian - restrained in style and sombre in mood, rather than 'Bollywood'.
And I love the Rooks with their big flared turrets and slim stems.
Overall, the set is impressively elegant, with all of the pieces showing lovely stem curves and looking taller than they actually are.
And the elegant pieces have 'gravitas' - the weighting makes them stable and balanced and pleasing to move.
The quality of finish of Mandeep's chessmen has always been striking; I'm pleased to say that the Hallett is particularly fine. The coating is a light varnish I think, not layers of stuff, so I can feel the wood and see the grain shining through with both the ebony and the boxwood. My personal choice is a natural finish as I like to start building a patina from day one; but I think a few finishes are available.
There's very little to say about the historical background of the set or indeed about William Hallett himself. He lived in London in the mid-1800's & made chess sets amongst other things; he did register a chess set design but it did not resemble this one.
On a personal note, I appreciate very much feeling part of a community of chess set collectors and chess carvers. This reproduction project was made possible through international friendship and co-operation.
I don't think the William Hallett set is listed anywhere yet, but a few sets are already made and are available to order from Mandeep for $350; you can contact him through FB messenger. Do contact me if you have any questions.