Staunton Chess Board

This is Jaques beautiful handmade Staunton chessboard. Jaques Staunton chessboard is expertly crafted by Jaques with walnut and sycamore squares with solid mahogany frame. Jaques of London has been instrumental in the development and success of modern chess. Chess pieces before the mid-19th century were of two kinds - excessively elaborate and costly hand-carved reproductions of the Kings court, or rudely turned and daubed pieces in which rank was dictated by height alone. In the 1840s, this all changed. Nathaniel Cooke, proprietor of the Illustrated London News, brought John Jaques a new and elegant design for chessmen. Between the two of them, this initial design was polished to produce a set using symbols (for the king, a crown, for the bishop, a mitre), which could be easily recognized and reproduced. This radical design received rave reviews in the press, particularly for the exquisite design of the Knight, based on sculptures from the famous Elgin Marbles. Mr. Howard Staunton, the first British chess World Champion, was so taken with the design that he agreed to have his name and signature adorn every box of pieces. The Staunton chess set, as it became known, is now the de facto standard for play at all levels. Size options: Mid-size: 20"L x 20"W x 0.5"H - Suited to a 3.5" to 4" King piece. Small: 18"L x 18"W x 0.5"H - Suited to a 3.5" King piece. Chessmen not included.