Theme Chess Pieces

Theme chess pieces

Theme in this collection means carving and finish rather than figurines. These are chess pieces where the maker has done something deliberate to the wood: scorched it, lacquered it, carved a face into the king, or replaced the horse with a dragon. Every set here is timber, apart from one in camel bone. For cast metal and pewter sets, see metal chess pieces.

The three things makers do

Burnt and scorched finishes

Several sets take the dark side by scorching the boxwood rather than staining or dyeing it. The colour is in the surface of the timber itself, so it varies slightly piece to piece and it cannot rub off the way a stain eventually can. Burnt boxwood reads as a deep warm brown-black with the grain still visible underneath, which is a different look from ebonised black.

Lacquer

Lacquered sets get a harder, glossier surface and a more uniform colour. It catches light in a way an oiled finish does not, and it protects the timber underneath. The tradeoff is that a lacquered piece shows a chip more obviously than an oiled one, and lacquer cannot be refreshed at home.

Carving

The carved sets are where the work is. A hand-carved king crown, a hollowed knight head, a lotus flower repeated across the whole army, human faces cut into the king and queen finials, or a knight carved as a dragon rather than a horse. These are the sets people buy to look at, and the ones where the price reflects hours rather than materials.

How the collection breaks down

Most sets here keep a recognisable Staunton silhouette and apply decoration to it. A few are genuinely figurative, with carved faces on the king and queen or a knight carved as a dragon, and there is an army shaped entirely from a lotus flower. If it is the traditional pattern you want without the decoration, start at Staunton chess pieces.

Materials

Boxwood for the light side on almost every set. For the dark side: burnt or lacquered boxwood, ebonised boxwood, genuine ebony, rosewood and bud rosewood. Camel bone also appears, stained black or crimson against natural ivory-white, which is a reproduction of a nineteenth century material practice rather than a modern one.

The full timber range is in wood chess pieces, and the heavier carved sets also sit in luxury chess pieces.

Living with them

Carved pieces have more to catch and more to lose. A dragon crest or a cut-out knight head is thinner than the equivalent turned section, so these are sets to place rather than sweep, and to store in a fitted box rather than loose in a drawer. Dust them with a dry soft brush rather than a cloth, which snags on undercut carving.

Fitted cases are in chess piece storage boxes.

Browse related

• Reproduction chess pieces. Historical patterns turned to their original proportions.
• Minimalist chess pieces. Design-led sets that strip the pattern back rather than decorating it.
• Theme chess sets. Subject-led sets with a board included, including the figurative metal and pewter ranges.
• All chess pieces. The full catalogue.

Buying theme chess pieces in Australia

Everything here is held in Australian stock and shipped from Australia, so there is no international freight wait and no customs step. Carved pieces are wrapped individually, because undercut detail is what breaks when an army travels loose.

All products sold by Sterling Chess are backed by a 12 month limited manufacturer warranty. This covers manufacturing defects and cracking, and ensures every product is 100% genuine. Sterling Chess also offers 100 day free returns.

Theme chess pieces FAQs

What counts as a theme chess piece here?

A set where the maker has applied carving or a distinctive finish rather than turning a plain pattern. That covers burnt and lacquered boxwood, hand-carved crowns and knight heads, botanical forms, carved faces and a dragon knight.

Which of these are figurative?

The ones with carved faces on the king and queen, and the set with a knight carved as a dragon. Most keep a recognisable Staunton silhouette and decorate it, and a number describe themselves as Staunton outright. There is also an army shaped entirely from a lotus flower.

What are they made from?

Timber, with camel bone the exception. Boxwood for the light side on almost every set, with burnt or lacquered boxwood, ebonised boxwood, ebony, rosewood or bud rosewood for the dark side.

Does burnt boxwood rub off?

No. Scorching colours the surface of the timber itself rather than sitting on top of it as a stain does, so it wears differently and more slowly. The grain stays visible underneath.

Are they playable or just for display?

Both, with care. They are weighted and felted like any other set, but carved detail is more fragile than a turned profile, so they suit unhurried games rather than blitz.

Do I need a board as well?

Yes. These are piece sets, so you can pair them with a board of your choosing. The theme chess sets range pairs pieces and a board together if you would rather buy both at once.

How should I clean them?

A dry soft brush for carved detail, which a cloth will snag on. Avoid furniture polish and solvent cleaners, which lift lacquer.