Please help me to identify old chess pieces

I found this set and the people said 'it's from our grandparents. They came from Silesia'. And because the style reminded me of the crude yet fine craftsmanship of my own grandpa who stems from the same region, I was ready to believe I have a wonderful old Silesian chess set.

I have seen an identical (if incomplete) set on ebay now, sold from the UK. It's small, the king is 5cm tall. There is a box there and the seller was so kind to make a photo before shipping out to the buyer.

The box is vintage but does it belong to the pieces? J.J.&S would be John Jaques & Sons. I associate this name with the most classic Staunton sets, but maybe they did some other sets, too. Or they are imported from Silesia Does anybody know the story of these chessmen?

Is the box for the pieces or the board? Perhaps it's just the board that is JJ&S? Maybe you can search the type of wood being used and that might give some clues? I've never seen a bishop with a point on top like this.

Never seen such a set - very cute! As far as I know JJ has provided different kinds of imported chessmen under its own brand name, especially after WWII.

I have the same set and also the larger much older version

Posted before I finished. The older set came with its original wooden box marked jaques of London 1943. The larger set in the same style and box is the set featured in the 1940s movie 'A Matter of Life and Death ' starring David Niven and Kim Hunter.

I'd love to see a screen capture of the chess set in the film.

Thank you, joenightshade, that seems to solve it! Would you consider posting one or two pictures of your sets when your time allows?

I have had a close look at the movie scene, which gives many angles, but only one close-up. Gladly, all six chess pieces are present in the position. I set up my set accordingly to compare.

'A matter of life and death', UK, (1946)And the smaller set "Check!" The scenery is quite beautiful. Kim Hunter has just played a bishop check. But she has to repeat the traditional saluting of the shah: "Peter- check!" to penetrate into her partner's reverie. She could have taken a whole rook one square further down the diagonal. Also her bishop is en prise now. Elegantly David Niven takes it and she comments 'O dear. I didn't see that one coming' while the guy in the brown suede coat is entering the scene. He is a doctor to see Niven for his hallucinations. Doctor: 'Who's winning?' He:"June's very good" She:"But he's winning"

More could be said about royals starting from the wrong squares or dubious white rooks on the 2nd rank. But it's a movie about a war pilot that fell from the sky but accidentally did not reach the next world. All the while the two players are in love. So, much is in question here, and a game of chess can be no ordinary one, neither!

The scene also prominently features a Jaques box. At the end of the scene, the box is grabbed, the board is lifted casually, pieces tumbling into the box, the remaining pieces picked up quickly and dropped into as a few handfuls (mostly audio)

I just found if I search youtube, there is another upload with better quality. The chess scene can be found 40 minutes into the movie.

Fantastic. Thank you!

Yes...that's the movie! lol..the sets are in the mancave which is a bit crammed! I will post some pics ASAP...is it just me or was Kim Hunter the most beautiful woman in this or any other world?!

Thank you in advance, joenightshade, that will be a treat! In the meantime, please, what lets you say the larger set is much older?

Hi...I maybe wrong in that assumption. Its just that the Little cardboard box that my small version came in is like new. Having said that if you look inside the box it has those little flecks on the inside that shouts wartime cardboard! It just doesn't scream 80 + years old. I have always loved the chessmen since seeing the movie as a young lad back in the 1970s! It seems almost like a lost jaques set that nobody knows about or is not interested in because its a cheap wartime set. When I first saw that movie video recorders had not been invented...I was left hungry! Imagine how I felt a few years back when I saw one on the fleabay! Thought my wife was going to kill because I would not shut up...lol.

With the higher resolution source given, I made a few more stills.

Different, but tangibly siblings, I'd say. I wouldn't know which one to prefer, really. I like the small one for the ducked knights, the potato bishops.. all pieces, indeed. While the taller one surely is more graceful..

I love the passion here for these lesser known - and loved - sets. They are also an important part of history. I really like the smaller set for its quirkiness, I must say

Speaking of war, I wonder which roles chess can play in fighting our wars?

Great images! I must get these sets out! Soon as the grandchildren go home...lol I have that larger and very pale light peices set. On the set from 1943 -44 which has played many games and is very grubby the king has a cross and the knights have eyes...

Thank you for the new teasers I will see if I can watch the movie until the photos come..

..2 hours later, fantastic film.

Yes, a fantastic film from Powell/Pressburger ("The Archers") but not their best, they have even better films...their golden period is from 1943-1948 when they made 6 great films in a row.

Here's some higher quality screenshots:

The blunder:

detail:

The old grubby knights from 1943 with clean knights from A Matter of Life and Death ...apologies for bad photography but done in a hurry!