| Six Things That Make One Wooden Chess Set More Expensive Than Another A Chess Set Buying Guide for the Not-So-Sure by Stephen Arnold, Owner |
The average shopper looking to buy someone special a special chess gift, or possibly upgrade their
own chess pieces, probably doesn’t have a clear idea as to why one set of wooden chess pieces sells
for $25 and another for $300. If this sounds like you, keep reading. You’re about to be enlightened.
Everything else being equal, the physical characteristics that most determine the difference in price
between one wooden chess set (chessmen, only) and another are as follows:
1) Wood type: The more "exotic" the wood the higher the cost. For example, ebony is much more rare
than maple. Just like gold is more rare than silver, and therefore more valuable, a wooden chess set
that contains pieces made from ebony will cost more, usually a lot more, than those made from maple.
Knowing the different types of wood used to produce chess pieces will go a long way in helping you to
determine the value of any particular chess set.
2) Workability: The harder the wood the more difficult it is to work with (carve). Some woods e.g. ebony
and rosewood are more difficult to work. As a result, more time is needed to produce a quality chess
piece. Much like everything else, the more time it takes to produce the more it costs.
3) Size: The bigger the chess pieces the more they will cost. It’s sort of like the “Super Sized” fries at
Mickey D’s costing you a little more. Therefore, a four-inch rosewood chess set costs more that three-
inch rosewood chess set. The more material, the more cost. Again, everything else being equal.
4) Details: The finer and more intricate the carved details of a chess piece, the more expensive it will
be. The best examples of this can be found in the details of a particular chess set's knight, the king's
crown, the queen's coronet, and the bishop's hat.
5) Weight: Wooden chess pieces come either weighted or not. For reasons of balance and stability,
your better chess pieces are weighted. Weighting can be done by placing "washer-type" metal discs
into the hollowed out bases of chess pieces. Sets vary in weight depending on how many discs are
placed in the base. Typically, pieces are single, double, or triple weighted. Outside of the cost of the
metal itself there's another cost factor that weighted chess pieces incur: they weight so they’re more
expensive to ship. This too adds to the overall cost of a chess set.
6) Extras: A set of extra queens adds to the price of chess set. A set of extra queens adds to the price
of chess set. Think of it like buying an extra spare tire for a new car. More product, higher price. Also,
leather padded chessmen bases cost more than felt padded bases. Which leads us to cloth-felt
padded bases costing more than paper-felted bases. More product, higher price. Also, leather padded
chessmen bases cost more than felt padded bases. Which leads us to cloth-felt padded bases
costing more than paper-felted bases.
So, there you have it. In no particular order, and, in a nutshell I might add. I didn't go into the details of
the details for reasons of brevity. However, if you'd like to know more about these subjects please feel
free to give us a call. I am always happy to talk about chess sets. Even if it’s something we don't carry.
Our toll-free telephone number is listed just below.
own chess pieces, probably doesn’t have a clear idea as to why one set of wooden chess pieces sells
for $25 and another for $300. If this sounds like you, keep reading. You’re about to be enlightened.
Everything else being equal, the physical characteristics that most determine the difference in price
between one wooden chess set (chessmen, only) and another are as follows:
1) Wood type: The more "exotic" the wood the higher the cost. For example, ebony is much more rare
than maple. Just like gold is more rare than silver, and therefore more valuable, a wooden chess set
that contains pieces made from ebony will cost more, usually a lot more, than those made from maple.
Knowing the different types of wood used to produce chess pieces will go a long way in helping you to
determine the value of any particular chess set.
2) Workability: The harder the wood the more difficult it is to work with (carve). Some woods e.g. ebony
and rosewood are more difficult to work. As a result, more time is needed to produce a quality chess
piece. Much like everything else, the more time it takes to produce the more it costs.
3) Size: The bigger the chess pieces the more they will cost. It’s sort of like the “Super Sized” fries at
Mickey D’s costing you a little more. Therefore, a four-inch rosewood chess set costs more that three-
inch rosewood chess set. The more material, the more cost. Again, everything else being equal.
4) Details: The finer and more intricate the carved details of a chess piece, the more expensive it will
be. The best examples of this can be found in the details of a particular chess set's knight, the king's
crown, the queen's coronet, and the bishop's hat.
5) Weight: Wooden chess pieces come either weighted or not. For reasons of balance and stability,
your better chess pieces are weighted. Weighting can be done by placing "washer-type" metal discs
into the hollowed out bases of chess pieces. Sets vary in weight depending on how many discs are
placed in the base. Typically, pieces are single, double, or triple weighted. Outside of the cost of the
metal itself there's another cost factor that weighted chess pieces incur: they weight so they’re more
expensive to ship. This too adds to the overall cost of a chess set.
6) Extras: A set of extra queens adds to the price of chess set. A set of extra queens adds to the price
of chess set. Think of it like buying an extra spare tire for a new car. More product, higher price. Also,
leather padded chessmen bases cost more than felt padded bases. Which leads us to cloth-felt
padded bases costing more than paper-felted bases. More product, higher price. Also, leather padded
chessmen bases cost more than felt padded bases. Which leads us to cloth-felt padded bases
costing more than paper-felted bases.
So, there you have it. In no particular order, and, in a nutshell I might add. I didn't go into the details of
the details for reasons of brevity. However, if you'd like to know more about these subjects please feel
free to give us a call. I am always happy to talk about chess sets. Even if it’s something we don't carry.
Our toll-free telephone number is listed just below.
Questions? Call: 856-582-8222. Mon - Sun, 9 AM - 9 PM EST
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| What Makes One Wooden Chess Set More Expensive than Another? |
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