Reproduction and Real Jaques of London Chess Set

Nice set, beautiful restoration work!

I think it was in good shape. I didn't have to do much to it.

The work you see was me wanting to see how the original turners and carvers did their work.

chessspy1

Very nice post , you make it look easy , Thank you for sharing ,

A rare beautiful chess set wow then Knights ..

HI AD:

I own a second one - overstamped Leuchars that is - this one is weighted and is an early Cooke knight - this one has original hand-signed label with leuchars trade-label inside the lid.  The set you worked on above sadly had only a CP with early gilt tooling, and no labels...

Aha James,

Interesting. Do you have any opinion about the overstamping?

Do you think Leuchars sold mainly ivory Jaques sets? 

One would think considering the price that all the sets sold through Leuchars have survived as they were not intended for clubs or bought by the hoi-polloi.

Do you have any opinion about the odd knights on some of the Leuchars overstamped ivory sets?

I do have a picture album of several ivory sets with what looks suspiciously like Canton knights

This thread helped me to make the choice between a real and reproduction Jaques chess set, so I thought I should say how it turned out. A little research convinced me that I would be able to buy a pre-1900 weighted box and ebony set in decent condition for the price of a good new copy, without having to wait too long. In the next two months a dozen Jaques sets appeared in UK provincial auction houses, four of them with features suggesting dates in my preferred earlier time period, undivided boxes single king stamps etc; with hammer prices between £1600 and mine at £570. The pieces were previously unrestored requiring an additional £80. A BCC board estimated at £30-£50 proved irresistible but went to £190 plus commission. I knew the squares were about 4 mms too large for my 3.5'' kings so I also bought a box/rosewood folding board from Tim Millard. Though about twice my BCC board expenditure it is more suitable in terms of date, size and colour and great value.

There is an awful lot in this thread about knights and 1849 sets, and while I have no hands on experience of new sets the two things that strike me most about my pieces are the delicacy of the kings queens and bishops - the queens are no thicker than pawns around the waist, and the fine keel moulded astragals which can be seen on the bishop in the first photograph. 

Thanks for your accumulated knowledge.

Very nice, a beauty.

It's always a joy to look at & play with a real  Jaques .

Nice board .  

What a set! 

So you've got two boards but only one set?!

Sounds like you need to be getting back on eBay and Saleroom and buy a 4.25" Jaques set ASAP - you know it makes sense

I agree. It's a wonderful set but you need to buy a club size Jaques. ASAP. It makes sense, it's just a matter of connecting the dots.  

Thanks wiscmike, lighthouse, Impractical and liml for your generous words. 

Yes only one proper set, bought because I felt guilty about still using a set that I gave my children when they were tiny. I figured they had paid their dues and deserved a nice one. There are four other sets that I acquired incidentally in this process, one of which is reasonable. I don't think we need any more, IpswichMatt and liml. But if I did feel the need for a good club size set I'm sure that the BCC board would be too small and I would need another board. You see where this could be heading?

Would rather have a HAMILTON Khaki Feild Automatic

Well it’s a great looking set you’ve bought, and you got it for a good price. So perhaps you have a talent for buying antique chess sets....perhaps it is your destiny...

I agree that board might be too small for a club size set. Lovely board though!

A lovely set MacGhriogair any chance of some photos of the box and label?

Thanks Minarima, and a good question - the box has a replacement baize lining and no label. Initially I thought that the box was correct. The quality in terms of the mahogany, the mitred corners with fillets, the hinges and lock is good but I've seen more photographs of boxes with Jaques labels since then and their sides may be thicker. I would be interested to know what you think about it, and indeed from anyone else with an opinion.

On the whole I feel slightly conflicted. The brief that I set myself was to buy an honest early set for the price of a new one without necessarily the bells and whistles and I think I did that. But it's tempting now to try to find one with stickers and a label. This might have fitted the bill but it was too far away:

https://www.twgaze.co.uk/auctions/catalogues-and-auctions/auction-archives/the-quarterly-antiques/lot-359/

My box:

That one was just up the road from me (I should change my username to DissMatt) - hammer price was £1000 I think. You know you can use Mailboxes etc or similar to get things delivered from these auctions? Although I expect you wanted to see it in the flesh before bidding. Delivery is not cheap though, would  probably cost £30-40 to get that delivered.

I have a couple of these 3.5 inch sets in boxes, I will post pictures if it helps you when I get home. I can also get the measurements if that helps?

Hi Matt,

I don't know about any forgeries of these (so-called) Victorian registration stickers. I never heard of it.

However, I do know for a fact that there was a dealer in Portobello Road, (now deceased I am sad to say) kept a little saucer of these to add to any suitable sets which came his way.

There is also a set of JAQUES LONDON stamps in the possession of an American chess dealer, who has had them for many years and made good (bad?) use of them.

Hi Alan

Yes that's what I was referring to - were these not forgeries? Or were they real stickers that he got from Jaques or something?