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This is a reproduction of an English Upright chess set of the early nineteenth century, based on one retailed by William Leuchars of London. The design is close to two hundred years old and predates the Staunton pattern entirely.
The Northern Upright, also called the Edinburgh, was the popular club set of its day, and it is thought to have partly inspired the first Staunton design when that arrived.
Because it is pre-Staunton, the shapes are not the vocabulary a modern player expects. There is no crenellated castle and no mitred bishop in the familiar form.
What there is instead is a tall, slender army on narrow shanks and modest feet. The whole set rises rather than spreads.
Each piece is hand carved and hand turned, as the originals were.
The Staunton pattern won because it solved a problem: it gave every piece an outline you could identify instantly, from any angle, across a table. Sets like this one are what people played with before it. It is shelved with our reproduction chess pieces.
The Northern Upright is a good example of the older thinking. The pieces are distinguished by proportion and by finial, so the army reads as a family of related forms.
The bishop and knight stand level with each other and the rook sits a little below them on the same foot. Three piece types share a footprint and nearly share a height, which is an honest thing to know before buying.
It takes longer to learn than a Staunton set, and as a first serious set it would be the wrong choice. What you get in exchange is a faithful reproduction of the set English clubs played with two centuries ago.
These pieces suit boards with squares of 50mm to 60mm, and both ends work. The narrow feet are why the window is as wide as it is: a slender army looks well with air around it on the larger square, and fuller, more like a period table, on the smaller.
English Upright sets in club sizes were the ordinary retail chess set of the early nineteenth century, sold through shops across Britain. This reproduction is based on one retailed by William Leuchars of London.
The historical interest is not only that the pattern predates the Staunton design but that it is thought to have partly inspired it. The Staunton design did not arrive from nowhere: it was drawn by people who knew what was already on the tables of English clubs.
Looking at this set, the ancestry is visible in the proportions even though almost every individual shape was later replaced. You can see the argument the Staunton design was answering.
The quality of a slender pattern lives in the collars and the shanks, where a rushed collar or an uneven shank would be obvious at a glance, and neither is what you get here.
A kilogram for the complete set is moderate for a king this tall, and it follows from the shape. A slender army on narrow feet contains less material than a broad one, and it has a lighter touch in play.
Keep the set out of direct sun and away from a heater, dust with a dry soft cloth, and leave oil, furniture polish and solvent based cleaners alone. Slender forms are more vulnerable than stout ones, so a permanent home on one table is the sensible arrangement.
What you are buying here is a piece of chess history you can actually play with. An early 1800s English Upright, thought to have partly inspired the Staunton design, is an uncommon thing to own.
The making supports it. This is a pattern where a rushed shank or a soft collar would be obvious at a glance, and neither is what you get.
The caveats are worth taking seriously. The shapes are not the ones a modern player reads automatically, and three piece types nearly share a height on one shared foot, so it takes time to learn. It is a light army for its height too. Buy it as a second set. For a heavier and more conventional army, look across our luxury chess pieces.
- Blake Sterling, CEO & Founder, Sterling Chess
50mm to 60mm, and both work. The narrow feet are why the window is as wide as it is, so the choice is a matter of taste: more air around the pieces on the larger square, a fuller period look on the smaller.
An English Upright chess set of the early nineteenth century, the ordinary club set of its day. This reproduction follows one retailed in London, and the design predates the Staunton pattern.
Yes, at first. The pieces are distinguished by proportion and finial instead of by strongly differentiated shapes, and the bishop and knight stand level with the rook just below them on the same foot.
A kilogram for the complete 34 pieces. That is moderate for a king this tall and follows from the slender shape, since a narrow army contains less material than a broad one at the same height.
Each one is hand carved and hand turned, as the originals were. On a pattern built from slender forms that work shows in the collars and the shanks rather than in any applied ornament.
34 chess pieces, two more than a game array uses. No board is included, so it is chosen separately.
|
Spec |
Detail |
|
King |
102mm high (4.0 inch), 37mm base |
|
Queen |
90mm high (3.5 inch), 32mm base |
|
Bishop |
76mm high (3.0 inch), 30mm base |
|
Knight |
76mm high (3.0 inch), 30mm base |
|
Rook |
68mm high (2.7 inch), 30mm base |
|
Pawn |
57mm high (2.2 inch), 26mm base |
|
Material |
Ebony Wood / Boxwood |
|
Dark pieces |
Ebony Wood |
|
Light pieces |
Boxwood |
|
Total weight |
1,000 grams (2.2 lbs) |
|
Recommended square size |
50mm to 60mm (1.96 inch to 2.36 inch) |
|
Piece count |
34 |
|
Chess board |
Not included |
34 chess pieces in ebony and boxwood
Two pieces more than a standard game array uses
Chess board not included
Storage box not included
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. If you need assistance, our team is only a call or email away.
Is shipping really free?
Yes — we offer free standard shipping on all orders across Australia, with no minimum spend. The price you see at checkout is the price you pay.
Are there any exceptions to free shipping?
No exceptions. Every order ships free, regardless of size, weight, or order value.
How long will my order take to arrive?
Orders are typically dispatched within 1–2 business days, with delivery times depending on your location. You'll receive tracking details by email once your order is on its way.
Do you ship to all areas of Australia?
Yes, we deliver Australia-wide, including regional and remote areas — all at no shipping cost to you.
Can I track my order?
Absolutely. As soon as your order ships, we'll email you a tracking number so you can follow its journey to your door.
What if I need my order quickly?
Get in touch before ordering and we'll do our best to help. Standard shipping is free, and we'll advise on the fastest available option for your area. To contact us, simply email us at support@sterlingchess.com.au, call (03) 7037 0931 or open the live chat.
Changed your mind? You can return unused, unopened items within 100 days of your order date, provided they’re in original packaging and resaleable condition. Sterling Chess will cover the cost of shipping return items under our 100-day free returns policy.
All Sterling Chess products are backed by Australian Consumer Law and include a minimum 12-month Australian warranty. If there’s an issue with your product, our team is here to help and will work to make it right.
Click here to view our full returns policy.
If you're shopping for a new chess set, you're in the right place—and here's why.
1. We know chess inside and out
At Sterling Chess, we're not just another online store. We’re chess lovers, players, collectors, and game night fanatics.
That means we care about quality, balance, and feel—and we only stock sets we’d use ourselves. From tournament-grade boards to handcrafted wooden pieces, we’ve got what real players want.
2. Unmatched variety for every player
Whether you're just learning or a lifelong grandmaster, we have something for you.
Looking for a folding set for travel? A stunning showpiece for your home? A kid-friendly set for your budding chess champion? We’ve got it all—and more.
3. Fast and FREE shipping on all orders
Shipping is FREE on all Sterling Chess orders.
We ship quickly from local and international warehouses, so you’re not waiting weeks to get your game on.
Most orders are packed and sent within 24–48 hours. Plus, you’ll get tracking updates every step of the way.
4. Customer support that actually helps
Have a question? Need help choosing a set? Our friendly team is ready to help—no scripts, no bots, just real people who care about your experience.
You can call our team anytime between business hours on (03) 7037 0931 or email us at support@sterlingchess.com.au. Alternatively, you can use our live chat during business hours to contact our helpful support team.
5. Thousands of happy customers
Don't just take our word for it—our reviews speak for themselves. Sterling Chess is trusted by thousands of players who keep coming back for more. Great products. Great service. No hassle.
6. Classic games, too
We're all about chess—but we also carry backgammon, checkers, poker and other timeless strategy games. If you love the classics, you’ll feel right at home.
Ready to make your move?
Choose a chess set that fits your style, skill level, and space—and enjoy the Sterling Chess difference. You’ll love how it looks. You’ll love how it plays. And you’ll love buying from a team that loves the game just as much as you do.
This is a reproduction of an English Upright chess set of the early nineteenth century, based on one retailed by William Leuchars of London. The design is close to two hundred years old and predates the Staunton pattern entirely.
The Northern Upright, also called the Edinburgh, was the popular club set of its day, and it is thought to have partly inspired the first Staunton design when that arrived.
Because it is pre-Staunton, the shapes are not the vocabulary a modern player expects. There is no crenellated castle and no mitred bishop in the familiar form.
What there is instead is a tall, slender army on narrow shanks and modest feet. The whole set rises rather than spreads.
Each piece is hand carved and hand turned, as the originals were.
The Staunton pattern won because it solved a problem: it gave every piece an outline you could identify instantly, from any angle, across a table. Sets like this one are what people played with before it. It is shelved with our reproduction chess pieces.
The Northern Upright is a good example of the older thinking. The pieces are distinguished by proportion and by finial, so the army reads as a family of related forms.
The bishop and knight stand level with each other and the rook sits a little below them on the same foot. Three piece types share a footprint and nearly share a height, which is an honest thing to know before buying.
It takes longer to learn than a Staunton set, and as a first serious set it would be the wrong choice. What you get in exchange is a faithful reproduction of the set English clubs played with two centuries ago.
These pieces suit boards with squares of 50mm to 60mm, and both ends work. The narrow feet are why the window is as wide as it is: a slender army looks well with air around it on the larger square, and fuller, more like a period table, on the smaller.
English Upright sets in club sizes were the ordinary retail chess set of the early nineteenth century, sold through shops across Britain. This reproduction is based on one retailed by William Leuchars of London.
The historical interest is not only that the pattern predates the Staunton design but that it is thought to have partly inspired it. The Staunton design did not arrive from nowhere: it was drawn by people who knew what was already on the tables of English clubs.
Looking at this set, the ancestry is visible in the proportions even though almost every individual shape was later replaced. You can see the argument the Staunton design was answering.
The quality of a slender pattern lives in the collars and the shanks, where a rushed collar or an uneven shank would be obvious at a glance, and neither is what you get here.
A kilogram for the complete set is moderate for a king this tall, and it follows from the shape. A slender army on narrow feet contains less material than a broad one, and it has a lighter touch in play.
Keep the set out of direct sun and away from a heater, dust with a dry soft cloth, and leave oil, furniture polish and solvent based cleaners alone. Slender forms are more vulnerable than stout ones, so a permanent home on one table is the sensible arrangement.
What you are buying here is a piece of chess history you can actually play with. An early 1800s English Upright, thought to have partly inspired the Staunton design, is an uncommon thing to own.
The making supports it. This is a pattern where a rushed shank or a soft collar would be obvious at a glance, and neither is what you get.
The caveats are worth taking seriously. The shapes are not the ones a modern player reads automatically, and three piece types nearly share a height on one shared foot, so it takes time to learn. It is a light army for its height too. Buy it as a second set. For a heavier and more conventional army, look across our luxury chess pieces.
- Blake Sterling, CEO & Founder, Sterling Chess
50mm to 60mm, and both work. The narrow feet are why the window is as wide as it is, so the choice is a matter of taste: more air around the pieces on the larger square, a fuller period look on the smaller.
An English Upright chess set of the early nineteenth century, the ordinary club set of its day. This reproduction follows one retailed in London, and the design predates the Staunton pattern.
Yes, at first. The pieces are distinguished by proportion and finial instead of by strongly differentiated shapes, and the bishop and knight stand level with the rook just below them on the same foot.
A kilogram for the complete 34 pieces. That is moderate for a king this tall and follows from the slender shape, since a narrow army contains less material than a broad one at the same height.
Each one is hand carved and hand turned, as the originals were. On a pattern built from slender forms that work shows in the collars and the shanks rather than in any applied ornament.
34 chess pieces, two more than a game array uses. No board is included, so it is chosen separately.
|
Spec |
Detail |
|
King |
102mm high (4.0 inch), 37mm base |
|
Queen |
90mm high (3.5 inch), 32mm base |
|
Bishop |
76mm high (3.0 inch), 30mm base |
|
Knight |
76mm high (3.0 inch), 30mm base |
|
Rook |
68mm high (2.7 inch), 30mm base |
|
Pawn |
57mm high (2.2 inch), 26mm base |
|
Material |
Ebony Wood / Boxwood |
|
Dark pieces |
Ebony Wood |
|
Light pieces |
Boxwood |
|
Total weight |
1,000 grams (2.2 lbs) |
|
Recommended square size |
50mm to 60mm (1.96 inch to 2.36 inch) |
|
Piece count |
34 |
|
Chess board |
Not included |
34 chess pieces in ebony and boxwood
Two pieces more than a standard game array uses
Chess board not included
Storage box not included
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. If you need assistance, our team is only a call or email away.
Is shipping really free?
Yes — we offer free standard shipping on all orders across Australia, with no minimum spend. The price you see at checkout is the price you pay.
Are there any exceptions to free shipping?
No exceptions. Every order ships free, regardless of size, weight, or order value.
How long will my order take to arrive?
Orders are typically dispatched within 1–2 business days, with delivery times depending on your location. You'll receive tracking details by email once your order is on its way.
Do you ship to all areas of Australia?
Yes, we deliver Australia-wide, including regional and remote areas — all at no shipping cost to you.
Can I track my order?
Absolutely. As soon as your order ships, we'll email you a tracking number so you can follow its journey to your door.
What if I need my order quickly?
Get in touch before ordering and we'll do our best to help. Standard shipping is free, and we'll advise on the fastest available option for your area. To contact us, simply email us at support@sterlingchess.com.au, call (03) 7037 0931 or open the live chat.
Changed your mind? You can return unused, unopened items within 100 days of your order date, provided they’re in original packaging and resaleable condition. Sterling Chess will cover the cost of shipping return items under our 100-day free returns policy.
All Sterling Chess products are backed by Australian Consumer Law and include a minimum 12-month Australian warranty. If there’s an issue with your product, our team is here to help and will work to make it right.
Click here to view our full returns policy.
If you're shopping for a new chess set, you're in the right place—and here's why.
1. We know chess inside and out
At Sterling Chess, we're not just another online store. We’re chess lovers, players, collectors, and game night fanatics.
That means we care about quality, balance, and feel—and we only stock sets we’d use ourselves. From tournament-grade boards to handcrafted wooden pieces, we’ve got what real players want.
2. Unmatched variety for every player
Whether you're just learning or a lifelong grandmaster, we have something for you.
Looking for a folding set for travel? A stunning showpiece for your home? A kid-friendly set for your budding chess champion? We’ve got it all—and more.
3. Fast and FREE shipping on all orders
Shipping is FREE on all Sterling Chess orders.
We ship quickly from local and international warehouses, so you’re not waiting weeks to get your game on.
Most orders are packed and sent within 24–48 hours. Plus, you’ll get tracking updates every step of the way.
4. Customer support that actually helps
Have a question? Need help choosing a set? Our friendly team is ready to help—no scripts, no bots, just real people who care about your experience.
You can call our team anytime between business hours on (03) 7037 0931 or email us at support@sterlingchess.com.au. Alternatively, you can use our live chat during business hours to contact our helpful support team.
5. Thousands of happy customers
Don't just take our word for it—our reviews speak for themselves. Sterling Chess is trusted by thousands of players who keep coming back for more. Great products. Great service. No hassle.
6. Classic games, too
We're all about chess—but we also carry backgammon, checkers, poker and other timeless strategy games. If you love the classics, you’ll feel right at home.
Ready to make your move?
Choose a chess set that fits your style, skill level, and space—and enjoy the Sterling Chess difference. You’ll love how it looks. You’ll love how it plays. And you’ll love buying from a team that loves the game just as much as you do.
