" Zagreb '59 "...My favorite chess set

This is my beloved set for playing...
Origin of this Zagreb '59 chess set design looks like disputed and unclear. But I think it is more simple: In the World Championship Candidates Match in Zagreb 1959, the "Dubrovnik" chess set was used for playing. "Dubrovnik" chess set has a real great history and story. But this "Zagreb '59" chess set has a HOS new design which is only an interpretation of original "Dubrovnik" chess set, it is not meant to be an axact reproduction of Dubrovnik chess set.

So, for example, the "Zagreb '59"  graceful knight seems to be a adaptation from the arched russian Knight type, in my opinion more beautiful than original Dubrovnik knight style, that has a too crude design. The rook and the pawn are less robust than Dubrovnik style and, I have to admit, I like more original "Dubrovnik" robust look of rooks. But one thing is clear, "Zagreb '59" chess set It is a beautiful design no matter its contest and confusion. May be I like it a little more than "Dubrovnik" chess set, but I'm sorry it doesn't have "Dubrovnik" history in the background.

The chessboard it was made by myself from a architect drawing table. This cheesboard I wanted it to look old and very worn from hard playing

Thank You KnightOfReyn 

1 I cut it from a drawing table wich I used a lot, and sanded it a little. I don't know what kind of wood is, but it's a hard type wood.
2 I painted only the "black" squares with water colors.  The "white" squares have the color of natural wood.  I prepared the tempera colours in a glass with water and I did different color tests on the same type of wood. After it dried I chose my favorite shade. I carefully put uniform (even) layers of color
3 I varnished it with a thin layer so that it would not be so shiny (I don't like too gloss). The surface must be clean without traces of dust or hair. After varnishing the colors will be darken a little, gaining greater contrast

4 After all this you must obsolutely play chess on it with pleasuring  

Hi, that's a lovely chess set. I am wondering where you purchased the pieces from? There seems to be a lot of different people selling these on Etsy, ebay, etc. Wanted to make sure I get the right ones. 

Don't get me wrong, I like this set (and the knight). In fact, this was the first set I ever bought from the House of Staunton 15 years ago. But unlike the 1950 Dubrovnik set, there's no provenance of this set ever gracing the tables of a major chess tournament, in Zagreb in 1959 or anywhere else! If anyone has photos to the contrary, please post, I'd love to see them, and I'll be happy to 'eat my words.'

Speaking of the Dubrovnik set, the House of Chess is offering a very nice set that's a mash-up of both sets, with Dubrovnik pieces and very 'stout' Zagreb knights. Since there's no historical significance of the '59 Zagreb set, this may be a way to get the best of both sets.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Bud-Rose-Wood-Zagreb-Staunton-Wooden-Chess-Set-Pieces-King-size-4-with-Box/121346812568?hash=item1c40d56a98:g:aY8AAOxyBPZTfMi5

Below is a comparison of the House of Chess Zagreb (left) and a standard Zagreb (right).

I said exactly the same thing in other words: "In the World Championship Candidates Match in Zagreb 1959, the "Dubrovnik" chess set was used for playing. "Dubrovnik" chess set has a real great history and story. But this "Zagreb '59" chess set has a HOS new design which is only an interpretation of original "Dubrovnik" chess set, it is not meant to be an axact reproduction of Dubrovnik chess set "

Zagreb chess set it a very new chess set created by the HOS! "Zagreb" chess set it has no history of any real tournement!

Funny how it took me a while to actually like the Zagreb knight. 

Not so, I bought my Zagreb '59 set from House of Staunton around 2005, if memory serves.

Agreed! Yet, when I purchased the set in 2005 (or thereabouts) HoS was marketing it as a set that was used in major tournaments, which it wasn't. But no matter, I bought the set because I liked the way it looked and it was affordable. I used it for many years, selling it off about 5 years ago when I began collecting newer sets.

 You have to look close though, not all Zagreb knights are equal as can be seen by my pictures above. Some are decidedly undersized IMHO. If you find one that you like, go for it! And enjoy!

Thank You danieljpark

I bought this lovely chess set few years ago from an romanian local dealer https://sahmag.ro/

These are mine. I don´t know who has made them but I bought them from the web shop of Dansk Skoleskak (Danish School Chess). King height 98 mm. Acacia. I also bought an ebonized set made from boxwood.

Gotta love those hefty knights! I do!

And as for their provenance and if pieces like these were used in the -59 candidates tournament Dansk Skoleskak sells the set as Queens Gambit. Great humour!

Very nice Herman....I love the Zagreb pieces and gifted my C.B. version to my grandson.I then bought The Chess Store's version,called the Yugoslavia Staunton Chess pieces by them, on the certificate that was enclosed.

Clearly it's the Zagreb and it's in African Padauk and Boxwood.It's clearly a cut above the already very nice C.B. version.

Enjoy your gem. A beauty for sure.

So? A new one is in order....Oops! I meant a vintage one.

If one buys new sets they will, eventually, become vintage.

MCH,sorry to disappoint you but according to the Martin Acoustic Guitar forum members,"vintage" has to be 50 years old.

I have two vintage-ish sets....A French Lardy 1975-ish and a Drueke "Little Jewel" travel size....1980.

However,you have given me the bug,which ain't cheap as you know....I like you,but the wife? Meh!

Vintage adjective [not gradable] (HIGH QUALITY) ( esp. of something old) of high quality and lasting value, or showing the best characteristics typical of the person who created it: a vintage pistol / airplane / car. "Sophisticated Lady " is vintage Duke Ellington.

Produced in the past, and typical of the period in which it was made

From Cambridge Dictionary

As I understand it the word vintage comes from the wine trade and denotes the year of he harvest as in "1982 is a good vintage".

My wine budget since retiring is anywhere from $7-$14 a bottle....Looks like young grapes for me.

In all seriousness, the way I look at a gem original Jaques Of London set is.it's like investing in a "quality" Blue Chip Stock.

Instead of looking at a stock certificate you can enjoy the aesthetic beauty of a finely crafted and aged patina set of chess pieces.....What's not to like? Oh! The price.

Right now,I'm not in that league.

And one´s not tempted to drink it.

Actually,there's some pretty good inexpensive wines...Powderdigit's country make some good ones.....Yellow Tail!

You can't go wrong with that label. $6.99 around my parts.