Plastic Chess Pieces - Recommendations

The color temperature of the light source and the white/color balance of the film or digital camera sensors used in photography affects the color rendering of the scene and objects in a photograph.  In other words the color and hue of the scene and the objects will vary depending on the characteristics of the light source and film/camera sensor used.  Any filters used in front of the lenses will also have an effect.

The same principles apply to scenes viewed directly with the naked eye.  That is, the color temperature of the light source used (sunlight vs incandescent vs fluorescent vs LED bulbs, etc.) to illuminate the scene will affect how the colors are perceived to the naked eye.

http://www.westinghouselighting.com/color-temperature.aspx

read the last paragraph (beneath figure 3) of the following article...

https://www.olympus-lifescience.com/en/microscope-resource/primer/lightandcolor/colortemp/

http://lowel.tiffen.com/edu/color_temperature_and_rendering_demystified.html

I think the 1491 is available in ivory/black, while ivory/brown ('walnut') is 1492 (although often presented as 1491: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-CAVALIER-Chess-Set-STAUNTON-TOURNAMENT-EDITION/202300083856?hash=item2f1a064e90:g:uyEAAOSwAINa43~2). But I wasn't aware that the 1498 wasn't double-weighted (thought it was). Recently I've seen a couple of white and brown 1491/1492s on eBay for about $70, and one white (or cream/ivory) and black for $160. All given as double-weighted tournament editions.

 
RussBell: The cream/ivory, couldn't that just be the seller using a different terminology? On the box itself, the colour combination is marked as 'ivory' (see above) Also, Pacific Games seems to have changed the design of the box - some have that celluloid covered window on the front, other boxes are cardboard throughout, and only has the Pacific Games Cavalier logo/illustration on the box. I strongly suspect that the production of the double-weighted tournament editions expanded greatly from the original ivory/black over the years.

I hope to add some photos soon, but my grandson's final choice was unexpected.  To review, I purchased the "Ultimate Chess Pieces" from Chess House, the "Bobby Fischer Series" from Chess USA, and the "Collector Series", "Zurich Series", "Hastings Series", "Fischer Series" from House of Staunton.

Initially, my grandson was attracted to the "Ultimate Chess Pieces" from Chess House.  He loved the yellow color and how the set looked on their green Flex Pad board.  I must admit I liked that also.  In the end, my grandson choose something that wasn't originally under consideration.  He choose, and took home with him, my travel chess set that I got from Chess House - https://www.chesshouse.com/collections/travel-chess-sets/products/12-magnetic-travel-chess-set-in-rosewood

He loves to play games while laying on the floor and this set accommodates that very well.  He especially loved the Rosewood - just like his Papa does.  So when he is at my house, we play with the Ultimate Chess pieces on the green Flex Pad.  When we play at his house, it is with the travel set.  Every summer I take my three grandkids on a road trip.  The travel set will earn its stripes during our week on the road.

I appreciate the input of others.  It was most enjoyable to play with these different pieces.  Each strengths and weaknesses - both aesthetically and in play.

I have ordered 3.75 inch Collector plastic chess pieces in red and natural color from Wholesale chess. Hopefully, I'll recieve my order in a few days. Maybe I'll post some photos and review the set when I have recieved it.

I liked one called the Collector Series at Wholesale Chess, but the one at House of Staunton is not similar to that, although it's a good one too. However, I agree that their Zurich set is an excellent choice in an inexpensive plastic set. I liked the Marshall Library set even more, but apparently it's not available in tournament size.

Hello

I have a 1491 Set in Black and Ivory with the original box. I was researching the set and noticed some interest here. 

edwardwayno: I'm potentially interested. Is the set in good condition?

I can get pictures for you.  All the pieces look very good but two have condition issues.  The black queen has cracking at the base that someone tried to fix with school glue.  One other piece has a crack split at the base. I think it is a rook.  This is a 45 year old set in the original box.  

I have lightly cleaned and inspected the pieces and found the following damage. 

The black King has a small chip on top.

The black queen has a piece at the bottom broken and it is attached to the felt only.  The glue used was school glue and came right off.  A good glue would repair this piece good as new.

One black bishop has a split at the bottom

One White Knight has a split at the bottom

One White bishop has a crack along the bottom.

All felts are attached and in good shape. One I noticed needs to be reglued.  All weights are intact and none loose or missing.  The pieces not mentioned with damage are all in very good shape with little if any discoloring and light wear to sharp edges from storing and play.

I will attach more pictures.  The box is in great shapt with the feet and sticker intact.

I have a butter yellow Ultimate Chess Set (bought from chesshouse - great service!) Love this set a lot but unfortunately the weights have come loose in both white queens after less than a month of gentle use in my condo. Not the end of the world but definitely notice the weights rattling around every time I play! 

I also have the Pro Tourney set in burgundy and camel. Really like this set but worry about the knight's ears chipping off during travel. So far they're good and it seems like a solid, well made set... 

HOS is extremely reputable.

Still my favourite.

@kelironman -

Yes.  The link you posted is for the set that Horace recommended - The Bobby Fischer series - Cavalier set sold by ACE.  Note that this is not an exact reproduction of the original Cavalier set produced by Pacific Game Co. years ago.  The ACE set is a hybrid, in which the knight is very similar in design to that of the original Cavalier knight, while the remaining pieces in the ACE set are somewhat similar to, but also not an exact rendering of the original Cavalier design.  By-the-way, I still have my original Cavalier 1491 Ivory & Black which set I purchased in 1989 (the same set discussed earlier, by BonTheCat and edwardwayno, and depicted in the photos of my following post below).  My set came in the same bakelite brown plastic storage box (which I still have) depicted in the photo of post #34 by edwardwayno.   It was, and still is a great plastic set - much better quality (design, materials, manufacture) than 99% of the plastic sets sold today.  The older Cavalier sets (in various models, materials, colors, by various manufacturers, and of varying quality) can sometimes be found on eBay.

An original Pacific Games Co. 1491 Cavalier Ivory/Black set for sale on eBay (5-Feb-2019).  I believe this to be the best (design, quality, materials, manufacture) of all the various sets produced using the "Cavalier" moniker.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-CAVALIER-CHESS-TOURNAMENT-EDITION-1491-PACIFIC-GAMES-1967-IVORY-BLACK/202581116327?hash=item2f2ac685a7:g:KlUAAOSwVN1cUbST:rk:20:pf:0