Reproduction and Real Jaques of London Chess Set

Here's what I'm talking about.  Images of a real antique vs my Staunton Castle distressed Morphy set.  I'm not saying it could pass as the real thing, but when you look at it, it evokes the "feel" of a chess set used in the mid 1800's.  That's the whole point of a reproduction IMO.   It goes beyond the "shape" of the pieces.  I could probably convince a non-chess piece fanatic that my set is 170 years old (maybe if they were not too bright )

The main reason I picked the Anderssen set is because the reproduction looks very similar to the original. Also, ebony pieces were really awesome. It was too bad I didn't like the finish. The set as a whole was very nice.

I like plain boxwood but I don't blame you for liking the opposite. I have to admit that I do like the distressed finish for your SC Morphy set. Your set has the right shade of brown and just enough bits of blackened areas. It looks good. However, I still like plain boxwood. That's just me.

I also like plain boxwood. I would rather put my own patina on the pieces than have them made to look that way. I figure in about 170 years my plain boxwood set will look antiqued. 

Haha! I couldn't agree more.

If you were in the market, seeing them in the flesh would be ideal, but most people don't get that option.  Most people have to decide based on internet pictures.  

In this case I think I agree that I like the antiqued set  better than the distressed.  I think it was Staunton castle making the sets for OS at the time, ai remember the SC distressed looked identical to that.  But soon after that, SC improved their technique and the distressing is now more subtle and uniform, as you can see from the picture of my set above.

A few weeks ago OS said that they were using a different, more natural ageing process for their box pieces.  I'd suspect oxygen and UV rather than a coloured stain or finish.  

Too late for me...No biggie as far as I'm concerned,though I'm sure it's super nice.

That's very good to know.  That orangey CB shade was the only one which I didn't like.  I'm very well aligned with your sentiments on antiquing. I enjoy the spectrum of antique shades from my OS Limited Edition espresso color to my SC tea shades. I just didn't like the old orangey CB antiquing but now I probably checkout their Soviet sets while I wait my turn for a NOJ Tal set.  

@mister again nah you're not alone. Count me in also for plain boxwood just like several people already mentioned this few post above.

Since these sets are, or can be, made to order, you can try requesting plain boxwood even if it isn't offered as part of their line.  There's a thread here where Staunton Castle provided a plain boxwood Dubrovnik set even though they're catalog only had a antiqued version.

@againseriously you can contact the companies and they'll make it for you. Especially since it's easy for them to actually just skip the antiquing step on a a set.  Even more involved custom orders are accepted.  @TheOneCalledMichael is particularly familiar with these "off menu" orders.  I remember that Padauk SC Dubrovnik thread that made me immediately send Mandeep a request of my own even though it's still not a regularly advertised option. 

True. SC will accommodate variations in stains and woods. Although I haven't tried to order unadvertised woods from The Chess Empire, I recently acquired two normally stained ebony sets that I requested be unstained. The owner accommodated that request at no charge. I just had to wait a few extra days because a set had to be specially made, instead of being pulled off the shelf.

I think sooner or later everything ultimately pops up .....Sometimes you just have to wait it out.

Nah, you're not the only one. Most of these "antique" and "distressed" sets look like my dog barfed on them, then buried in it the ground, then dug it back up. I like a CLEAN boxwood set.

OK if you want a TRUE antique look take a look at your wax -- that assumes you actually wax your pieces once or twice a year. I've had my set for about 10-11 years. I bought a tin of wax that HOS recommended but did not know at that time there were several shades of wax. I bought a NEUTRAL shade, and while I seldom wax the pieces, I've noticed that over the years the pieces have yellowed with age, even though the pieces are in a chest and protected from light. Depending on the color of the wax you chose you can heighten or minimize the "antique" look, rather than looking like someone sprinkled dirt in some varnish and slobbered it on. Unless they have changed their practiced CB fills this bill -- though they called it "distressed" rather than "antique". Some of your really high end sets use a tinted wax to give there sets an antique looking finish. I think that HOS occasionally has a "golden" set, and chances are they used a "yellow" tinted wax rather than a neutral colored wax. Add to that as wood ages it will tend to yellow. 

I think we need to define the difference between a "distressed" and "antiqued" set. A "distressed" set is almost certainly created throwing dirt into varnish then slobbering it on. that way the "distressed" look does not wear off. OTOH a truly "antiqued" set is most likely achieved from the application of hand rubbed WAX of a particular tint. My guess is that if you see a ring of filth or other crud on the boxwood set, it is a DISTRESSED set created by varnish; a set that is of a UNIFORM color set where there is no change in color is due to hand applied WAX  is probably an ANTIQUED set.  

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/154551895010?hash=item23fc02c3e2:g:ImIAAOSwS5thBBrb

ANTIQUE 3.5" ANDERSSEN DROP JAW CHESS SET BY JAQUES LONDON WEIGHTED c1855
 Up for sale on ebay No box 1 x pawn missing  !