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The Lessing Series is the seventeenth and last of the recognised Staunton variants, made between 1927 and 1937, and this is a reproduction of the final design Jaques of London launched.
That places it at the end of a long line, and it shows. There are no sharp edges anywhere on the army and no delicate carving to snap, and every shape is drawn for use.
Either side of the royal pair, the bishop, knight and rook all share one foot, which gives that part of the back rank an even, continuous look.
The set is weighted the traditional way, with metal infused at the base as the originals were. It is a sturdy thing to hold, which is exactly the quality a late pattern was drawn for.
The king is at the upper end of club playing sizes, and it sits with our Staunton chess pieces.
The Staunton pattern ran through seventeen recognised variants, and the Lessing is the last of them. A design at the end of that line has decades of use behind it, and it shows in what is missing.
There are no sharp edges on any piece and no delicate carving anywhere. The bishop's mitre is a clean cut instead of a fretted one, the rook's crenellation is broad, and the knight carries its character in the modelling of the head.
Every one of those is a decision that leaves nothing thin to break, which is why the pattern still looks right after years on a table.
The feet are worth reading as a group. King and queen take the two widest, then the bishop, knight and rook share one, and the pawn alone is narrower again. Three piece types on a single footprint is why the army reads as sturdy.
These pieces suit boards with squares of 55mm. The king stands on a broad foot, so the set fills its square and the opening position looks occupied rather than airy.
The two armies are finished differently, and it is worth knowing what each one does under a lamp. It is listed with our reproduction chess pieces, alongside other patterns of the period.
The dark side is dyed ebony in a semi gloss finish. Held at an angle to a lamp, a grain pattern is visible across it at close range, so the dark army has something to look at as well as a colour.
The light side is boxwood lacquered in an antiqued stain, which takes it away from the bright cream of new timber and towards the mellowed tone of chessmen that have been in use for decades.
The finish across the whole set is semi gloss and not high gloss, so it shows the profiles without the glare that makes a board tiring under a lamp.
The weighting is the other traditional decision. Metal infused at the base puts real mass into an army this size, and what it produces is a piece that settles the moment it is put down and stays there through a long game.
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. That holds for the dyed ebony and the lacquered boxwood alike, since both carry a finish those products will cut through.
What you are buying is the end of an argument. Seventeen Staunton variants, and the last of them has no sharp edges, no delicate carving, a grouped foot under the three pieces you handle most, and metal infused at the base.
Every one of those is a decision about being used and not admired, and together they make a set that will still look right in twenty years. The finishes support it: a dark army with grain to find at close range, against boxwood mellowed to an antique tone.
The board is the thing to settle first. It is a firm fit with little spare room, so measure before ordering rather than after. If you want more latitude in board sizing, our luxury chess pieces is the range to look across.
- Blake Sterling, CEO & Founder, Sterling Chess
55mm, and nothing wider. The king stands on the broadest foot in the army, so the fit is firm and there is little spare room. Measure before ordering rather than after.
The seventeenth and last recognised variant of the Staunton design, made between 1927 and 1937, and the final Staunton pattern Jaques of London launched. This is a reproduction of it.
Yes, with metal infused at the base as the originals were. The complete 34 pieces weigh 1,500 grams, which is enough for a piece to settle when placed and stay put through a long game.
The dark army is dyed ebony in semi gloss, with a grain pattern to find at close range. The light army is boxwood lacquered in an antiqued stain, which gives it the mellowed tone of old chessmen.
It comes at the end of a long line of Staunton variants, and the thin, fretted detail that breaks first had been designed out of it by then. What is left is sturdy to hold and to play with.
34 chess pieces, two more than a game array uses. No board comes with it, so that is chosen separately to suit the square size.
|
Spec |
Detail |
|
King |
98mm high (3.9 inch), 45mm base |
|
Queen |
81mm high (3.2 inch), 41mm base |
|
Bishop |
75mm high (3.0 inch), 37mm base |
|
Knight |
68mm high (2.7 inch), 37mm base |
|
Rook |
56mm high (2.2 inch), 37mm base |
|
Pawn |
51mm high (2.0 inch), 30mm base |
|
Material |
Ebony Wood / Antiqued Boxwood |
|
Dark pieces |
Dyed Ebony Wood, semi gloss |
|
Light pieces |
Antiqued Boxwood, lacquered |
|
Weighting |
Weighted, metal infused at the base |
|
Total weight |
1,500 grams (3.3 lbs) |
|
Recommended square size |
55mm (2.16 inch) |
|
Piece count |
34 |
|
Chess board |
Not included |
34 chess pieces in ebony and antiqued 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.
The Lessing Series is the seventeenth and last of the recognised Staunton variants, made between 1927 and 1937, and this is a reproduction of the final design Jaques of London launched.
That places it at the end of a long line, and it shows. There are no sharp edges anywhere on the army and no delicate carving to snap, and every shape is drawn for use.
Either side of the royal pair, the bishop, knight and rook all share one foot, which gives that part of the back rank an even, continuous look.
The set is weighted the traditional way, with metal infused at the base as the originals were. It is a sturdy thing to hold, which is exactly the quality a late pattern was drawn for.
The king is at the upper end of club playing sizes, and it sits with our Staunton chess pieces.
The Staunton pattern ran through seventeen recognised variants, and the Lessing is the last of them. A design at the end of that line has decades of use behind it, and it shows in what is missing.
There are no sharp edges on any piece and no delicate carving anywhere. The bishop's mitre is a clean cut instead of a fretted one, the rook's crenellation is broad, and the knight carries its character in the modelling of the head.
Every one of those is a decision that leaves nothing thin to break, which is why the pattern still looks right after years on a table.
The feet are worth reading as a group. King and queen take the two widest, then the bishop, knight and rook share one, and the pawn alone is narrower again. Three piece types on a single footprint is why the army reads as sturdy.
These pieces suit boards with squares of 55mm. The king stands on a broad foot, so the set fills its square and the opening position looks occupied rather than airy.
The two armies are finished differently, and it is worth knowing what each one does under a lamp. It is listed with our reproduction chess pieces, alongside other patterns of the period.
The dark side is dyed ebony in a semi gloss finish. Held at an angle to a lamp, a grain pattern is visible across it at close range, so the dark army has something to look at as well as a colour.
The light side is boxwood lacquered in an antiqued stain, which takes it away from the bright cream of new timber and towards the mellowed tone of chessmen that have been in use for decades.
The finish across the whole set is semi gloss and not high gloss, so it shows the profiles without the glare that makes a board tiring under a lamp.
The weighting is the other traditional decision. Metal infused at the base puts real mass into an army this size, and what it produces is a piece that settles the moment it is put down and stays there through a long game.
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. That holds for the dyed ebony and the lacquered boxwood alike, since both carry a finish those products will cut through.
What you are buying is the end of an argument. Seventeen Staunton variants, and the last of them has no sharp edges, no delicate carving, a grouped foot under the three pieces you handle most, and metal infused at the base.
Every one of those is a decision about being used and not admired, and together they make a set that will still look right in twenty years. The finishes support it: a dark army with grain to find at close range, against boxwood mellowed to an antique tone.
The board is the thing to settle first. It is a firm fit with little spare room, so measure before ordering rather than after. If you want more latitude in board sizing, our luxury chess pieces is the range to look across.
- Blake Sterling, CEO & Founder, Sterling Chess
55mm, and nothing wider. The king stands on the broadest foot in the army, so the fit is firm and there is little spare room. Measure before ordering rather than after.
The seventeenth and last recognised variant of the Staunton design, made between 1927 and 1937, and the final Staunton pattern Jaques of London launched. This is a reproduction of it.
Yes, with metal infused at the base as the originals were. The complete 34 pieces weigh 1,500 grams, which is enough for a piece to settle when placed and stay put through a long game.
The dark army is dyed ebony in semi gloss, with a grain pattern to find at close range. The light army is boxwood lacquered in an antiqued stain, which gives it the mellowed tone of old chessmen.
It comes at the end of a long line of Staunton variants, and the thin, fretted detail that breaks first had been designed out of it by then. What is left is sturdy to hold and to play with.
34 chess pieces, two more than a game array uses. No board comes with it, so that is chosen separately to suit the square size.
|
Spec |
Detail |
|
King |
98mm high (3.9 inch), 45mm base |
|
Queen |
81mm high (3.2 inch), 41mm base |
|
Bishop |
75mm high (3.0 inch), 37mm base |
|
Knight |
68mm high (2.7 inch), 37mm base |
|
Rook |
56mm high (2.2 inch), 37mm base |
|
Pawn |
51mm high (2.0 inch), 30mm base |
|
Material |
Ebony Wood / Antiqued Boxwood |
|
Dark pieces |
Dyed Ebony Wood, semi gloss |
|
Light pieces |
Antiqued Boxwood, lacquered |
|
Weighting |
Weighted, metal infused at the base |
|
Total weight |
1,500 grams (3.3 lbs) |
|
Recommended square size |
55mm (2.16 inch) |
|
Piece count |
34 |
|
Chess board |
Not included |
34 chess pieces in ebony and antiqued 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.
