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| Ask the Owner about Staunton Chess Set History |
| If you still have questions after consulting the owner please call him toll free: 877-265-6583. Mon - Sun, 9 AM - 9 PM EST |
The increased interest in the game of chess, particularly in international play during the late eighteenth
and early nineteenth centuries, brought about a renewed demand for a more universal chess set. The
variety and styles of the conventional form begun in the fifteenth century had expanded tremendously by
the beginning of the nineteenth century. Some of the more common conventional types popular during
the period included the English Barleycorn, the St. George, the French Regence (named after the Cafe
de la Regence in Paris) and the central European Selenus styles. Most chess sets had pieces that were
tall, easily tipped and cumbersome during play. But their target sin was the uniformity of the pieces
within chess sets. A player's unfamiliarity with an opponent's chess set could tragically alter the
outcome of a game. By the early decades of the nineteenth century, it was all too clear that there was a
great need for a chess set with pieces that were easy to use and universally recognized by players of
diverse backgrounds. The solution, first released in 1849 by the purveyors of fine games, John Jaques
of London, sport and games manufacturers, of Hatton Garden, London, England, was to become known
as the Staunton chess set after the Shakespearean scholar, author and the world champion, Howard
Staunton (1810 - 1874).
Although Nathaniel Cook has long been credited with the Staunton chess set design, his brother-in-law
and owner of the firm, John Jaques, may have conceived it.
The first theory is Mr. Cook had used prestigious architectural concepts, familiar to an expanding class
of educated and prosperous gentry. London architects strongly influenced by Greek and Roman culture
were designing prestigious buildings in the neoclassical style. The appearance of the new chess set
was based on this style and the pieces were symbols of "respectable" Victorian society: a distinguished
bishops miter, a queen's coronet and king's crown, a knight carved as a stallion's head from the ancient
Greek Elgin Marbles and a castle streamlined into clean classical lines, projecting an aura of strength
and security. The form of the pawns was based on the 'Freemasons square and compasses', however;
another theory reflects the pawns form is derived from the balconies of London Victorian buildings.
There were also practical innovations: for the first time a crown emblem was stamped onto a rook and
knight of each side, to identify their positioning on to the king's side of the board.
The second theory is Jaques, a master turner, had probably been experimenting with a chess set
design that would not only be accepted by players but could also be produced at a reasonable cost. In
the end, he most likely borrowed and synthesized elements from chess sets already available to create
a design of sheer brilliance. The key was the use of universally recognizable symbols atop conventional
stems and bases. Moreover, the chess pieces were compact, well balanced and weighted to provide a
chess set that was as useful as it was understandable.
Our belief is that it was a combination of both theories with the synergy of Mr. Cook the entrepreneur and
Mr. Jaques the artisan.
Further to the design, the ebony and boxwood chess sets were weighted with lead to provide added
stability and the underside of each piece was covered with felt. This afforded the players the illusion that
the chessmen were floating across the board. Some ivory chess sets were made from African ivory. The
king sizes ranged from 3.5 inches to 4.5 inches and the chess sets typically came in a caron-pierre
case, each one bearing a facsimile of Staunton's signature under the lid.
Jaques then approached his brother-in-law for advice. At the Patent Office, on March 1, 1849, Nathaniel
Cook, 198, Strand, London, England, registered an Ornamental Design for a chess set, under the
Ornamental Designs Act of 1842. At that date, there was no provision for the registration of any chess set
design or articles of ivory, registration was limited to Class 2, articles made chiefly of wood.
Mr. Cook was the editor for the Illustrated London News where Howard Staunton published chess
articles and convinced the champion to endorse the chess set. The advertisement possibly written by
Mr. Staunton published as follows:
"A set of Chessmen, of a pattern combining elegance and solidity to a degree hitherto unknown, has
recently appeared under the auspices of the celebrated player Mr. STAUNTON. A guiding principle has
been to give by their form a signification to the various pieces - thus the king is represented by a crown,
the Queen by a coronet, etc. The pieces generally are fashioned with convenience to the hand; and it is
to be remarked, that while there is so great an accession to elegance of form, it is not attained at the
expense of practical utility. Mr. STAUNTON'S pattern adopts but elevates the conventional form; and the
base of the Pieces being of a large diameter, they are more steady than ordinary sets." Illustrated
London News, September 8, 1849.
Staunton not only endorsed the chess set for Jaques of London but also promoted it to an extraordinary
degree including the lambasting and derision of any other chess set design then proposed. This may
have been the first time that a celebrated name was used to promote a commercial product. The
Staunton as it became known, became available to the general public on September 29, 1849. The
Staunton style chess set was soon the standard on which most tournament chess pieces have been
made and used around the globe ever since. The low cost to produce the Staunton chess set allowed
the masses to purchase sets and helped to popularize the game of chess.
The Staunton chess set obtained the stamp of approval of the World Chess Federation, when in 1924 it
was selected as their choice of set, for use in all future international chess tournaments.
For over a century and a half, Staunton style chess sets has been cherished by players around the
world. The superiority of the chess set design lays in its well-balanced, easily recognized pieces. Such
was its success that it will be the style of choice for play to this day and for many years into the future.
---- Sources:
House of Staunton
Jaques of London
Bill Wall
Book: Master Pieces, by Gareth Williams
Book: The Art of Chess, by Colleen Schafroth
and early nineteenth centuries, brought about a renewed demand for a more universal chess set. The
variety and styles of the conventional form begun in the fifteenth century had expanded tremendously by
the beginning of the nineteenth century. Some of the more common conventional types popular during
the period included the English Barleycorn, the St. George, the French Regence (named after the Cafe
de la Regence in Paris) and the central European Selenus styles. Most chess sets had pieces that were
tall, easily tipped and cumbersome during play. But their target sin was the uniformity of the pieces
within chess sets. A player's unfamiliarity with an opponent's chess set could tragically alter the
outcome of a game. By the early decades of the nineteenth century, it was all too clear that there was a
great need for a chess set with pieces that were easy to use and universally recognized by players of
diverse backgrounds. The solution, first released in 1849 by the purveyors of fine games, John Jaques
of London, sport and games manufacturers, of Hatton Garden, London, England, was to become known
as the Staunton chess set after the Shakespearean scholar, author and the world champion, Howard
Staunton (1810 - 1874).
Although Nathaniel Cook has long been credited with the Staunton chess set design, his brother-in-law
and owner of the firm, John Jaques, may have conceived it.
The first theory is Mr. Cook had used prestigious architectural concepts, familiar to an expanding class
of educated and prosperous gentry. London architects strongly influenced by Greek and Roman culture
were designing prestigious buildings in the neoclassical style. The appearance of the new chess set
was based on this style and the pieces were symbols of "respectable" Victorian society: a distinguished
bishops miter, a queen's coronet and king's crown, a knight carved as a stallion's head from the ancient
Greek Elgin Marbles and a castle streamlined into clean classical lines, projecting an aura of strength
and security. The form of the pawns was based on the 'Freemasons square and compasses', however;
another theory reflects the pawns form is derived from the balconies of London Victorian buildings.
There were also practical innovations: for the first time a crown emblem was stamped onto a rook and
knight of each side, to identify their positioning on to the king's side of the board.
The second theory is Jaques, a master turner, had probably been experimenting with a chess set
design that would not only be accepted by players but could also be produced at a reasonable cost. In
the end, he most likely borrowed and synthesized elements from chess sets already available to create
a design of sheer brilliance. The key was the use of universally recognizable symbols atop conventional
stems and bases. Moreover, the chess pieces were compact, well balanced and weighted to provide a
chess set that was as useful as it was understandable.
Our belief is that it was a combination of both theories with the synergy of Mr. Cook the entrepreneur and
Mr. Jaques the artisan.
Further to the design, the ebony and boxwood chess sets were weighted with lead to provide added
stability and the underside of each piece was covered with felt. This afforded the players the illusion that
the chessmen were floating across the board. Some ivory chess sets were made from African ivory. The
king sizes ranged from 3.5 inches to 4.5 inches and the chess sets typically came in a caron-pierre
case, each one bearing a facsimile of Staunton's signature under the lid.
Jaques then approached his brother-in-law for advice. At the Patent Office, on March 1, 1849, Nathaniel
Cook, 198, Strand, London, England, registered an Ornamental Design for a chess set, under the
Ornamental Designs Act of 1842. At that date, there was no provision for the registration of any chess set
design or articles of ivory, registration was limited to Class 2, articles made chiefly of wood.
Mr. Cook was the editor for the Illustrated London News where Howard Staunton published chess
articles and convinced the champion to endorse the chess set. The advertisement possibly written by
Mr. Staunton published as follows:
"A set of Chessmen, of a pattern combining elegance and solidity to a degree hitherto unknown, has
recently appeared under the auspices of the celebrated player Mr. STAUNTON. A guiding principle has
been to give by their form a signification to the various pieces - thus the king is represented by a crown,
the Queen by a coronet, etc. The pieces generally are fashioned with convenience to the hand; and it is
to be remarked, that while there is so great an accession to elegance of form, it is not attained at the
expense of practical utility. Mr. STAUNTON'S pattern adopts but elevates the conventional form; and the
base of the Pieces being of a large diameter, they are more steady than ordinary sets." Illustrated
London News, September 8, 1849.
Staunton not only endorsed the chess set for Jaques of London but also promoted it to an extraordinary
degree including the lambasting and derision of any other chess set design then proposed. This may
have been the first time that a celebrated name was used to promote a commercial product. The
Staunton as it became known, became available to the general public on September 29, 1849. The
Staunton style chess set was soon the standard on which most tournament chess pieces have been
made and used around the globe ever since. The low cost to produce the Staunton chess set allowed
the masses to purchase sets and helped to popularize the game of chess.
The Staunton chess set obtained the stamp of approval of the World Chess Federation, when in 1924 it
was selected as their choice of set, for use in all future international chess tournaments.
For over a century and a half, Staunton style chess sets has been cherished by players around the
world. The superiority of the chess set design lays in its well-balanced, easily recognized pieces. Such
was its success that it will be the style of choice for play to this day and for many years into the future.
---- Sources:
House of Staunton
Jaques of London
Bill Wall
Book: Master Pieces, by Gareth Williams
Book: The Art of Chess, by Colleen Schafroth
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Questions? Call toll free: 877-265-6583. Mon - Sun, 9 AM - 9 PM EST
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| History of Staunton Chess Pieces by Stephen Arnold adapted from a Sean Evans’ original article |
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