FWIW, ChessBazaar is now offering their reproduction:
https://www.chessbazaar.com/reproduced-90s-championship-french-chess-set-in-bud-rose-or-ebonized-box-wood-3-89-king.html
I would be keen on hearing comments on how good their reproduction is in terms of shape / size. It is rather obvious that they use a different wood.
This is actually a nice neat set. I will consider buying one when I've finished my house move. But to call it a reproduction is a bit of a stretch. There are some very obvious differences between this set and the original by Chavet. I spotted the differences immediately upon opening the first picture. This set lies somewhere between the standard championship staunton and a Chavet, which is more or less what I expected. Don't want to seem like a misery guts, its a really nice looking set and one of the best playing sets I have seen recently but its not really a reproduction of anything imho.
Nice looking set, but I'll continue saving for the real thing ($940+shipping at last auction!). I agree, this is not a true enough copy to be called a reproduction, in the same way the OS 1849 reproductions can be. This is a very good hommage set though and if I didn't already have a #5 to hold me over, I'd consider buying this one...
(added) you know, after looking at it a bit more, it's a very nicely done set, and I just may have to purchase one "just because". The knights are one piece. The rook is a little curvier than the real B-210 but looks like it would play well just the same. Hmmm... we'll wait for it to be in stock mid-May and decide then.
@Audioq: Is there a link where the bottom version could be obtained for purchase?
@Audioq: Is there a link where the bottom version could be obtained for purchase?
The bottom version, a vintage Chavet, has not been available for purchase for a long time. Those sets go for about US$1000 on ebay these days whenever a set shows up (which is very rarely).
FrankHelwig wrote:
@Audioq: Is there a link where the bottom version could be obtained for purchase?
The bottom version, a vintage Chavet, has not been available for purchase for a long time. Those sets go for about US$1000 on ebay these days whenever a set shows up (which is very rarely).
And here I thought I was crazy for paying for just over half that last year. Cheers Frank 
-Ronbo 
The bottom version, a vintage Chavet, has not been available for purchase for a long time. Those sets go for about US$1000 on ebay these days whenever a set shows up (which is very rarely).
Correct. Mind you I was lucky to pick up the set pictured above for a song last week. It is minty and looks unplayed. The black pieces are actually dark brown but have not yet faded like most of the vintage sets so look black using my crappy camera phone
The bottom version, a vintage Chavet, has not been available for purchase for a long time. Those sets go for about US$1000 on ebay these days whenever a set shows up (which is very rarely).
Correct. Mind you I was lucky to pick up the set pictured above for a song last week. It is minty and looks unplayed. The black pieces are actually dark brown but have not yet faded like most of the vintage sets so look black using my crappy camera phone
Great score 
!! My other set is the black and natural finish. But the light pieces have taken on a nice patina and the black ones have a mud dauber bluish hue lol . Chavet has always been my favorite design and always be ... 
Cheers! Both those sets are superb. I will have to decide what to do with my older sets, if you remember one has a few pieces I turned myself as replacememts.
I have stopped looking for "Chavet" since as soon as someone puts one up for sale the price takes off. I do keep an eye out for "vintage chess", "echecs ancien", "alte schachfiguren" etc on various sites and have scooped the set above and an older Chavet with identical pieces to the above except it has the old two piece knight.
Bill Noyes has an interesting old chavet set as well which he showed over on the facebook page. Don't know if you visit that much?
This inexpensive set looks quite similar to me:
http://www.stauntoncastle.com/product/vintage-french-pattern-3-75-reproduction-chess-set/
This inexpensive set looks quite similar to me:
http://www.stauntoncastle.com/product/vintage-french-pattern-3-75-reproduction-chess-set/
This is a very nice set. A really good playing set. But it is not what I would call a "reproduction" of the old Chavet set since there are clear and obvious differences between the two. Again, not critisizing the set you link to, its a very nice set.
Well, nearly two years after I started my quest I may have succeeded.
I have bought the set of the attached pictures last week. it IS a Chavet, and it IS a size 6, I have proof of these two things. But then remains a question: Is it the right one?
Frank, Ron, AudioHQ, and all the other owners of the right stuff, can you have a look and tell me what you think based purely on the pictures?
This set is at this time still in the possession of the friend who purchased it on my behalf but will soon be on a Eurostar to London, so you will forgive my inability to produce lined up pictures as in the last post. I will when I have it with me.
So, is it the right thing?
looks like it is.
Ok here is the trick - the box is the ordinary looking box and it is numbered 121/6 so what to make of that? Do we know for sure that B210 is the only possibility? I have looked again at the pictures from Linares as well as yours and with just that (I will post again in two weeks when it arrives here) it looks like the real deal to me.
Finally here is the strange thing: Last year I bid 550 GBP for a set that wasn t even guaranteed a chavet but looked right. A sniper took it from me in the last second for 551.2 GBP. Well I paid 70 EUR for the above one in France of which 20 were for postage to my friend...
Ok here is the trick - the box is the ordinary looking box and it is numbered 121/6 so what to make of that? Do we know for sure that B210 is the only possibility? I have looked again at the pictures from Linares as well as yours and with just that (I will post again in two weeks when it arrives here) it looks like the real deal to me.
Finally here is the strange thing: Last year I bid 550 GBP for a set that wasn t even guaranteed a chavet but looked right. A sniper took it from me in the last second for 551.2 GBP. Well I paid 70 EUR for the above one in France of which 20 were for postage to my friend...
Congrats Pierre !! That looks like a Great example. I think it may just be a new numbering system on the id reference. The '6' is more than likely the size. Here's my older box for comparison ...
Ok here is the trick - the box is the ordinary looking box and it is numbered 121/6 so what to make of that? Do we know for sure that B210 is the only possibility? I have looked again at the pictures from Linares as well as yours and with just that (I will post again in two weeks when it arrives here) it looks like the real deal to me.
Finally here is the strange thing: Last year I bid 550 GBP for a set that wasn t even guaranteed a chavet but looked right. A sniper took it from me in the last second for 551.2 GBP. Well I paid 70 EUR for the above one in France of which 20 were for postage to my friend...
Hi Again - I just checked my Chavet collection and found a 101/6 label on my modern unweighted Number '6' size set just for info ... 
Mistery of chavet chess sets probably solved:
- I found a professional web site (for commercial clients, not retail). It dates from quite a while ago, dunno when. It described series 121 as "Pièces polies, double plombage, feutrées, cavaliers monoblocs, têtes fines." , ie as the genuine article (polished pièces, double lead weighted, felted, one piece knights, tetes fines, not translating that last bit you all know what it means.
- Secondly I downloaded the new Jurabuis catalog and intetestingly page 45: their current competition offering (the modern set) weighted, etc, in the nice box (not the ordinary slide top) is number 153. BUT: the same set, weighted, etc in an ordinary slide top box is number 121/6.
THEREFORE:
I would hypothesize that we shouldn't just be looking for the B210, and that actually series 121 BEFORE the modern sets, was simply their best "tetes fines" set, but in an ordinary box.
If anyone had facts that contradict this hypothesis let me know. I might see if I can get Chavet to sell me the nice box when i have my 121/6 from the 90s at home.
Interesting. I would def considering buying one from ChessBazaar.