Post Your Novelty Sets

Like my previous thread from 2016, Post your Travel Chess Sets, I hope this one inspires interest just for the fun of it.

It's hard to define what a novelty chess set is.  Some practical players would say any set not used for serious play is a novelty.  Does that mean antique, non-Staunton sets that in the past were the standard bearers of practical play?   I say no, and most practical players would agree.

How about figurine chess sets like the American Civil War or Looney Tunes sets sold by Franklin Mint or the far less expensive but more popular set based upon the longest running prime-time television series, The Simpsons?  No doubt it could be argued these are novelty sets, particularly the latter that apparently fits the definition of novelty as "a small and inexpensive toy or ornament," but I'd personally still say no.

How about decorative sets like the high-art works of Max Ernst and Man Ray?  They are closer to the definition of novelty as "the quality of being new, original, or unusual."  Of course, how many here own art sets?  Frankly, such sets should have their own thread.

This leaves sets whose major use is not initially chess-related.  I realize that's obscure, but you'll see what I mean with the posting of my novelty chess sets.  Let's start with this unusual eBay purchase of a set made from what were meant to be small refrigerator chess magnets.  It consists of white and black chess piece silhouettes applied to 15/16" square glass tiles all on an 11" square board made from magnetic sheet material.  The glass tiles have small, round, "super strong" rare earth magnets glued to their backs.

   Yes, that's Black on the bottom.  Black is OK according to Adorjan.

                  Ruy Lopez, Chigorin Defense ... White to Move

Unfortunately, I don't think the Colorado eBay seller any longer makes this set but sells the pieces individually as ... well .... refrigerator magnets.

Up next are "rook" cufflinks in the Stratton Checkmate series with a case that holds a plastic, peg-in chess set.  Stratton is a British company so it's not surprising the set and board were made by either H.B. Farebrother or House Martin and incorporated into the case that measures 5.75" x 4.5" x 1.5".  This was also an eBay purchase, shipped from the U.K.

       Best man at the wedding?  Be the best chess player there too.

I imagine there are other sets like this sold on eBay, but I haven't run into any.  I wonder if Stratton also sold knight cufflinks.

Lastly, there is this office desk or bedroom bureau curiosity.  It consists of a heavy aluminum and zinc alloy table measuring 5" x 4" x 3.5" tall with drawers to hold captured pieces, a metal board, and oddly-shaped metal pieces with magnets in their bases.  The king measures 13/16".

   Place this on your office desk to start a conversation or a game ...

... or on your bureau alongside a fountain pen and frog matryoshka.

And, yes, you guessed it, this came from eBay.  I've seen several similar sets listed on eBay since I purchased this one in 2014.  It was not very expensive.

Well, that's it for me.  Now it's your turn.

Hi,

I like a lot your Magnet Chess Set

Thanks you for looking and commenting, MySeTH.

The magnetic set is not oddly-shaped, it's a Regence set, and the King and Queen are set up backward.

Damn, if you aren't right, tmkroll.  I'm familiar with a few pre-Staunton, non-figurine sets such as the St. George, the Calvert and the Northern Upright, but until now I passed over the French Regence and how this set replicates it, more or less.  Thanks for this major correction.

Oh, I just switched the king and queen, and I imagine they are pleased about that. 

Here are some new photos with the correct orientation and description

                     Miniature magnetic French Regence set
                        on a trumpet-legged chess table

                          The Ruy Lopez, Breyer Defense

Let's see if I can post photos in these forums from links (I've been having some trouble the last few attempts.)

The most "novelty" chess set in my collection is probably the transforming chess-bot, 3-D printed and purchased from the artist: 

Edit: well that didn't work. Here is a link to the photo I included: http://www.tykroll.com/chess/staunton/chessbot/bot31.JPG 

@fightingbob

Forgive me for escaping from the "novelty of chess", but here we have a great known chess collector ...

@tmkroll

Hi, I had a doubt that you were "The" Tykroll ...
You have very often oriented my choices

I really admire your beautiful collection,and how you presented them.

Regards

Thanks for posting your bot transformer set, tmkroll, a unique and interesting novelty, no doubt.  You let me know I have a miniature French Regence set on Trumpet-Legged Chess Table (I just looked up furniture leg styles), so I'll post your bot image in my reply but within your post.

Thanks again.

Oh, yes, now I recognize the name.  I've been to Ty Kroll's website more than once.  If I were a more knowledgeable collector, I would have recognized the name straight away.  In fact, if I would have visited the French Regence section I would have saved myself the embarrassment of writing "oddly-shaped" for there is a page dedicated to this set.

Here is a link to Mr. Kroll's very informative and insightful description and how this set differs from the traditional Regence.  Interestingly, I now notice the board on my set is misoriented 90 degrees because the wide part of the table should be on the sides for captured pieces.  Obviously, my set must be a knockoff, perhaps oriented differently to get around copyright laws.

I would never have learned all this without Mr. Kroll's post.  I'm glad I did.  

@shakur10011chess I'm wondering if you read my initial post?  The set you posted is a figurine set, but I don't see it as a novelty set.  Just my opinion.

Thanks for the kind words. I actually haven't been an active collector for years but it's always nice to hear people enjoy and/or learn from my collection. I like these chess.com discussions. Let's keep the novelty sets coming here.

That's a very neat article. We have a family travel chess set, from "Scotland?" that was dad's dad.

Glad you enjoy this thread, TC.

https://www.trademe.co.nz/toys-models/games-puzzles-tricks/board-games/chess-draughts-checkers/listing-1981710513.htm?rsqid=eaeca29fc0a54a7b879177958da98adc

just thought some kids might go for chess at an earlier age if they were like this ; )

Awesome!

No relation to me, but check Oggtheclever on Etsy.  He makes a similar set for about 1/10 of the auction price.  Also does Isle of Lewis sets.

wonderful, yes I would find it hard to pay 600$ for a resin set. There is this horrid trend where they grind up marble and mix it with resin and then call it marble! can you believe that.

is etsy a trading site @evooch?

Etsy is a site where various artists (and others) can market their items.  Broad spectrum of items available....

I am sometimes scared of novelty sets. What is their exact definition? I assume something like a Man Ray or various wooden but unusual minimalist sets are not "novelty", or are they? Is novelty just sets with elaborate figurines like life like soldiers or personalities, and which are more for display than for play?

You didn't have to copy and paste the definition of "novelty". Everyone knows what "novelty" means according to the dictionary. The question was what is considered "Novelty" when referring to chess sets.