Starting in the 1840s, Staunton sets—as well as models introduced by other English firms, like Lund and Calvert—were typically made of ebony and rosewood or ivory (until the ivory trade was banned, around World War ii). Prices for antique examples depend on quality, but $10,000 for a “decent” Jaques set from the period 1849 through 1935 is fairly common, says Camaratta. Of course, Jaques made patterns other than Staunton, but the two names are now almost always linked. Even the company’s contemporary Staunton patterns, which are still turned and carved by hand, are collectible and can be found at chess shops for anywhere from $900 to $5,000. (Jaques does not have a retail shop of its own but sells directly to the public online at www.jaques.com.)

According to Camaratta, buyers of antique sets are largely male and not necessarily players. The ones who do enjoy the game rarely deploy their antique pieces, not wishing to risk damage. But just as chess requires strategy, so too does collecting its appurtenances, as guidelines are broad and subject to the aesthetic whims of collectors and parts tend to be unsigned. A good place for aspiring collectors to start is with a 19th-century wooden St. George set by Jaques, which might cost $4,000 (an unsigned one would probably cost between $2,000 and $3,000). Those unfamiliar with the field often ask if antique chess sets include boards—apart from traveling ones, they do not. And since chessmen are easily chipped, cracked and misplaced or destroyed over the years—certainly more than one sore loser tossed his king into the fireplace and stormed out of the parlor—Rochford notes that “finding a set [the original 32 pieces] with a board and the box it came in is a bonus.” He advises interested parties to carefully inspect the men, which should be in as close to pristine condition as possible, with few, if any, repairs, to discern the quality of the carving.

The market for antique chess sets is clearly on the upswing. Camaratta thinks the growing appetite for luxury goods may in part be responsible, along with the lure of a package deal that nets the buyer 32 pieces of sculpture. Luke Honey, who heads the Chess & Games department at Bloomsbury Auctions’ London office, which holds two sales of vintage games annually in the fall and spring, says that chess sets have been undervalued for years. Honey adds that in the past half decade, Internet exposure has made chess collecting much more accessible and created more aficionados: “Our clients for these sets used to be largely Germans and Americans, but now it’s a truly international group—and some savvy big-money guys are catching on.”

Attractive examples, however, are still available at reasonable prices. Boards, which can be highly decorative, are often wallet-friendly. Garrick Coleman, a London dealer in antique games, recently sold a late 19th-century Anglo-Indian ivory-inlayed sandalwood folding board for chess, checkers or backgammon for £1,250 ($2,400). Coleman also parted with an early 18th-century French ebonized example with ivory inlay and two unusual silver sconces on the edges—to hold candles during nighttime play—for £3,850 ($7,392).

The variety of antique chess sets and parts is vast indeed. In addition to the European sets mentioned, there are many popular patterns from makers in India and the Far East. After all, the idea that a lowly pawn might one day conquer an entire kingdom is universally seductive. 

"The Art of the Game" originally appeared in the December 2007 issue of Art+Auction. For a complete list of articles from this issue available on ARTINFO, see the Art+Auction December 2007 Table of Contents.