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On Collecting Staunton Chessmen

A beginner’s guide to assembling a collection of the finest chess sets.

By Frank Camaratta

y chess set collecting obsession The Staunton chessmen were designed ficial” World Champion. had its start a few months after I and first manufactured in the United What is not known is the relationship M first learned the moves of the Kingdom by the firm of John Jaques. I between Jaques and Cook or between game. That was the summer before my obtained a copy of the design registration Cook and Staunton. We do know that 16th birthday. A few friends in my new for the Staunton chessmen from the Staunton wrote a daily chess article for neighborhood took the pains to explain patent office in London. The Staunton the Illustrated London News (ILN). It has the moves to me and I was addicted. All chessmen design was registered as num - been reported, but not verified, that Cook I could do was eat, drink and sleep chess. ber 58607 on March 1, 1849. The title of was affiliated with the ILN, possibly as a I was entering my junior year in high the registration was “Ornamental Design partner. It has also been reported, again school. I turned 16 in the fall of that year for a set of Chess-Men.” It was registered without verification, that Cook was John and, for my birthday, my mother gave by Nathaniel Cook, 198, Strand, London, Jaques’ son-in-law. me a nice set of wooden Staunton chess - under the Ornamental Designs Act of men. These were nothing spectacular, 1842. Interestingly, the registration was What to Look For In the Early Sets just a good, solid, German-made weighted limited to Class II, articles fabricated Make no mistake about it. If you are set of lacquered chessmen in a wood mostly from wood. looking for a set of antique Staunton slide-top box. The pieces were tourna - There have been allusions to a set of chessmen to enhance your collection, ment size and I made good use of them in similar chessmen having been designed there are chessmen produced by Jaques the years that followed. around 1835. That “fact” seems to have of London and then there are the rest. The lessons I’ve learned in the interven - been repeated several times in the liter - Jaques Chessmen, Staunton or other - ing 22 years I would like to now share ature. However, there is no evidence to wise, are by far the most collectible and, with you. I hope to help you avoid some support that contention. as a consequence, the most expensive. of the pitfalls and costly mistakes that can Well, who was Nathaniel Cook and what This is not to say that there are not other befall a new collector. An education in was his connection with John Jaques, Staunton chessmen that are worth col - collecting can cost more than tuition to a the original manufacturer? Moreover, how lecting. For example, British Chess four-year college. Make no mistake about did Howard Staunton get into the mix? Company Xylonite chessmen quickly it, this can be a costly education. First, What is known is that the first Staunton come to mind. However, if you are look - having been a serious tournament chess chessmen were manufactured by the firm ing for one set of vintage Staunton player, my interest was in practical play - of John Jaques, whose business premises chessmen, you must have a Jaques. ing sets--the Staunton design in were in Hatton Garden, and later on the What follows is a distillation the impor - particular. What I had discovered very Strand in London. What is also known is tant details that will serve as a roadmap early in my collecting career was that that Cook managed to obtain the endorse - for anyone who is seriously contemplat - there was woefully little information on ment of the then self-proclaimed World ing this investment. the Staunton chessmen and what did Champion, Howard Staunton who, after exist was mostly incorrect. So, I decided defeating the leading French Champion The Chessmen to pull together as much information on Pierre de Saint-Amant in their landmark The original Staunton chessmen pro - the Staunton pattern as I could. 1842 match, became the World’s “Unof - duced by Jaques were and still are quite

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The original Jaques Staunton design from 1849.

unique in appearance. Although generally stability. 11. Library-sized and ivory sets were described as a radically new design for their 5. Only the 11 cm boxwood and ebony NEVER weighted. The standard sets time, the form was based on the earlier chessmen were weighted initially. Ivory were available in both weighted and Northern Upright Chessmen which were chessmen were NEVER weighted. unweighted configurations. The small designed in the 1840s by Lord John Hay. 6. The 8.9 cm chessmen could be felted club and full club size wooden sets The Staunton chessmen featured very or unfelted. Ivory chessmen were were always weighted. broad bases, gracefully contoured stems NEVER felted. 12. Every Jaques chess set will have and attractively turned and carved head - 7. The black knight heads for the box - “Jaques London” imprinted on the pieces. From the graceful Formeé cross wood and ebony chessmen were upper part of the rim of the base of the atop the king to the six crenelled rook, actually stained boxwood. Apparently, white king if the set is boxwood and these chessmen make an impression. carving the rock-hard ebony was dif - ebony and on the underside of the The knights, however, are their hallmark. ficult and more time-consuming than base of the ivory king. Both kings are They were derived from the visages which boxwood, so, for the first three years so marked for sets produced after adorn the Elgin Marbles, which form a or so of production, the knight heads around 1890. part of the east Pediment of the Greek for the ebony side were stained box - 13. The kings from the earliest Jaques Acropolis. The “Marbles” were “expropri - wood. If you find a set of Jaques chessmen, which I refer to as the ated” in 1816 by Sir Thomas Bruce and chessmen with stained boxwood black Cook style in my codex of Jaques brought to London. They can be viewed knight heads, the set is pre-1852. chessmen, will have the imprint J. today at The British Museum in London. 8. In a true Jaques set, the king’s crosses Jaques London on their bases. This Some important details to look for in the are removable. Also, the knights are is true for both the boxwood and chessmen when contemplating your pur - two pieces--the head and the base-- ebony as well as ivory chessmen. The chase follow. which are screwed together. “J.” can sometimes be difficult to dis - 1. The original Staunton Chessmen were 9. Jaques was the first chess set manu - cern. All legitimate Cook style Jaques available in a Standard size (8.9 cm) facturer to affix the symbol of a king’s chessmen will have both the J. and a Full Club size (11 cm king) only. crown to the summits of the kingside Jaques London imprinted on the base 2. The original chessmen were available rooks and knights. This praxis was of the king as well as a white hand- in boxwood and ebony, ivory and largely copied and is not unique to signed and numbered label. Find one Wedgwood Carrara(!). This latter is sets produced by Jaques. These chess - of these and you have found a very largely unknown to both the Wedg - men are often offered on eBay as valuable collectible set of Jaques wood and the chess collector authentic Jaques chessmen. Don’t be chessmen. communities. fooled. Look for the Jaques London 14. The “Jaques London” mark on the 3. The large Club-size Ivory set was intro - mark imprinted on the base. underside of the ivory chessmen duced to the line in very limited 10. The library-size (7.3 cm king) was varies in configuration and can be quantities in April of 1850. added around 1852, while the small confidently used to date the set. The 4. Jaques originated the praxis of weight - club size (10 cm King) debuted earliest marks were printed on two ing their chessmen for enhanced around 1856. parallel arcs. Later ivory sets were

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Collecting

marked in two parallel straight lines earliest made to house the Staunton 9. The large weighted chessmen were and, later, in a single straight line. chessmen. Later Mahogany boxes generally not offered in Carton-Pierre would carry their labels on the under - caskets. These caskets are very frag - Registration Certificates side of the lid. This did help preserve ile and the heavy pieces would simply 1. Each chessman in a Jaques set, sold the labels since they were not placed break through the sides. during the first three years of produc - directly on a wear surface. tion, had a small green paper disk 3. The Mahogany boxes were lined in a Early Labels (1849–1851) affixed to the underside of their bases. green billiard cloth and lacked the 1. Each box bore a manufacturer’s label 2. This disk bore a registration mark center partition found in later boxes. affixed to the underside of the box or consisting of a small on the bottom inside of diamond which identi - the large Spanish fied the day, month Mahogany caskets. This and year the design praxis was later changed was registered, the to affix the label to the class and a parcel underside of the lid of number. This protected the Mahogany boxes. the design from piracy 2. The earliest labels during those three were white with a years. decorative black 3. Although the pamphlet fleur-de-lis. A slightly from the patent office different Label was in the UK lists one reg - designed for sets istration disk design for numbered 600 or so 1849, the year the to 999. Staunton chessmen 3. Along with the box were registered, I have contents and regis - discovered that there tration number were actually three (58,607 5&6 Vict. designs printed and One of the hand-signed and numbered labels that were Cap. 100.), each label distributed. The first affixed to the box of each of the early Staunton sets bore an original (not two had printing errors and omis - 4. The Mahogany boxes which housed a facsimile) signature sions. These were used from 1849 to the club-size chessmen had a large of Howard Staunton 1852, after which the Patent printed scalloped brass escutcheon inset into and the production the registration disks correctly. the lid and around the keyhole. number of the set, Mahogany boxes which housed later also in Staunton’s Boxes and Carton-Pierre Caskets sets would use circular rather than the hand. Based on cer - Perhaps the most intriguing aspects of scalloped brass on the top of the lid tain observations, I collecting Jaques Staunton are the richly and a thin brass strip set inside the believe Staunton adorned Gothic style Carton-Pierre cas - keyhole. hand-signed and kets in which they were housed. These 5. Carton-Pierre caskets were made in numbered 999 labels caskets were designed by Joseph L. three configurations. All three config - (or signed as many Williams. Matching Carton-Pierre treat - urations utilized the same four side as he could until ment adorned leather chessboards were and lid moldings. For the Library-size hampered by writer’s designed and sold by William Leuchars ivory sets, which were introduced cramp). and first offered to the public in Decem - around 1853, the casket had a false, 4. These early labels were numbered ber, 1849. raised bottom. The 8.9 cm and later sequentially, so set #120 could be an 1. Chessmen were initially housed in the 10cm sets were both housed in 8.9 cm wooden set in a small hinge-top mahogany boxes with a caskets with the bottom located in its Mahogany box, while set #121 might semi-mortise lock and key, Carton- normal position. Carton-Pierre cas - be a large ivory set in a large Carton- Pierre caskets in three configurations kets, which housed the club-size ivory Pierre casket. for “unweighted” wooden and ivory sets, utilized a “height extender” which 5. Little known is the fact that the ear - chessmen, and the large Spanish increased the casket height by around liest labels also have the Jaques Mahogany coffer with removable com - 1 inch. London imprint invisibly embossed partmented trays for the club-size 6. The underside of the lid of each Car - into the label. The same tool used to ivory chessmen. ton-Pierre casket has a decorative gold mark the bases of their Kings was 2. The mahogany boxes which housed leaf fleur-de-lis. The specific design used to make this imprint. This little- the earliest boxwood and ebony chess - of that decoration can be used to date known fact alone should be worth the men were distinctive. They had unique the earliest caskets. The decorative time you have taken to read this arti - hand-made dovetail joints, soft, pattern was standardized around cle. slightly rounded corners, and they 1853. 6. These labels were used for sets sold bore their manufacturers label on 7. The earliest Carton-Pierre caskets had during the first two years of produc - their undersides. Some of the earliest ivory-colored satin interiors. tion. boxes also bore a small green label on 8. All Carton-Pierre caskets had a the underside of the lid. Printed on leather-hinged lid and side-mounted Numbered Labels (1852-1856) that small label were the words The ribbons which held the lid in a near After three years, the design registration Staunton Chessmen Jaques, London. vertical position. There was also a expired and was not renewable. On This label is quite rare and a good small leather or cloth tab on the front August 11, 1852, Nathaniel Cook entered indication that the box is one of the of the lid to facilitate opening. into an arrangement with Howard

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Staunton for the exclusive use of his through Leuchars and are quite valuable How to Choose name and facsimile signature on the and have the following unique features. When you make your decision to invest labels. This next group of labels was pro - 1. The Jaques London mark on the bases in a set of vintage Jaques chessmen, you duced under this new arrangement. of both the wooden and the Ivory sets have a decision to make. Are you looking Labels within each of the three color were over-stamped “Leuchars”. In the for a set which is the most collectible, or groups were numbered sequentially with - case of the ivory sets, the Jaques Lon - one which is the most playable? If you out regard for the size of the chessmen. don mark is actually scratched out intend to use the chess set occasionally 1. Following the Staunton hand-signed and over stamped. In addition, a for play, then you probably do not want labels, there were a series of labels Leuchars green sticker was affixed to an ivory set. Also, you probably want a set which showed the box contents, the the underside of the white King’s base. with a 4” or larger King. If you are look - registration or Entered number ing for collectability and (58,607 5&6 Vict. Cap. 100.), investment growth poten - a facsimile signature of tial, then you want a very Howard Staunton and a early Club size wooden set mechanically printed produc - or an ivory set. Ivory sets tion number. prices increase exponen - 2. These early manufacturer’s tially with size. A good labels were printed in green, rule-of-thumb to follow yellow and red. The green when collecting for value labels bore Entered numbers rather than utility is larger from 1000 to 1999. These were is better than smaller, used exclusively on the older is better than newer, Mahogany boxes which and ivory is king. housed the wooden chessmen. Original boxes and Yellow labels bore numbers labels are important con - from 2000 to 2999 and were siderations when used exclusively on Carton- contemplating your pur - Pierre caskets which housed chase. So is condition. A Library-sized and 8.9 cm Box - well restored set of chess - wood and Ebony chessmen. men will always command Finally, red labels were num - a considerably higher price bered from 3000 to 3999 and An early registration disc and the Jaques than a set in original con - imprint on the base of an ivory set were used on BOTH the large fitted 2. dition that is damaged, has a poor finish Spanish Mahogany caskets and Car - Leuchars ivory sets were sold only in or both. ton-Pierre caskets which housed ivory Carton-Pierre caskets and only in the 8.9 sets of all sizes. cm King. The label on the bottom of the Conclusion 3. After the supply of numbered manu - casket originally bore a green Leuchars Beware of counterfeits. With the rising facturers’ labels were exhausted, new sticker. price realized for a good set of Jaques labels were produced which displayed 3. Leuchars Ivory sets also featured a chessmen, coupled with their increasing the box contents and registration very unique Knight design, not asso - scarcity, sets made up from pieces assem - number (58,607 5&6 Vict. Cap. 100.), ciated with the Elgin Marbles in any bled from unrelated sets, as well as freshly but no longer bore a production num - way. These are quite rare. turned counterfeits, are becoming alarm - ber. These labels were printed in green, 4. Leuchars only offered Boxwood and ingly more common. Labels from old yellow and red. Yellow and green were Ebony sets in the 8.9” King. Also, Box - Jaques boxes are often affixed to boxes used exclusively on boxes which wood and Ebony sets offered by which are not original to the chessmen. housed Boxwood and Ebony sets, Leuchars were weighted. Although Off-brand chess sets are frequently while, as before, the red labels were somewhat difficult to see, the Jaques passed-off as authentic Jaques chess - used exclusively for the ivory chess - London mark on the upper bevel of the men. men. These labels were used from King’s base is over-stamped Leuchars. The safest course is to purchase your around 1856 through 1862. antique Jaques chess set from a rep - 4. In 1862, a new label was introduced The Design Evolves utable dealer. Ask for a letter certifying the which commemorated an award The Jaques Staunton chessmen have authenticity of the chessmen. Obtain a Jaques received. The label now bore evolved over the 150 or so years since letter of provenance, if available. In the the words Two Prize Medals Awarded their introduction. Many of the changes end, the extra cost will prove to be money 1862. The box contents and Facsim - were made to improve the robustness of well spent. ile Staunton signature still appeared, the chessmen. Among the other changes Finally, antique chess sets are not for but the Entered Number was dropped. made were the relative proportions of the everyone. Boxes are worn and often split. Eventually, the Box contents were chessmen. Queens and pawns were made Labels are tattered. The chessmen them - dropped from the face of the label. taller. The weight of the chessmen was selves will be dinged and the baize base increased. pads ratty. There will most certainly be The Leuchars Factor Boxes and labels also underwent signif - hairline cracks in the ebony chessmen. The earliest advertisements for the new icant changes. Boxes housing sets If, in the end, you decide that you really Staunton chessmen have the following produced after 1895 or so were fitted don’t want to own an antique chess set, statement: “The Nobility and Gentry are with a partition which separated the white do yourself a favor. Purchase a fine set of respectfully informed that these new and pieces from the black. Labels changed House of Staunton chessmen. There’s elegant CHESS-MEN are now obtainable every five years or so. It is beyond the none finer--at any price! . of W. Leuchars, 28. PICADILLY …” The scope of this short treatise to delineate Please see House of Staunton ads on page earliest Jaques chessmen were sold those changes. 2 and the inside back cover.

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