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The bishop and the knight on this set are exactly the same height. Both stand 76mm on a 38mm base, which almost never happens: the bishop is conventionally the taller of the two by five millimetres or more, and the step between them is one of the things that makes a back rank legible.
The American Chess Company took a different view in 1904. Levelling the two minor pieces gives the rank a pairing rather than a staircase, and for a tournament set that had to be read quickly from a seated position it worked well enough to stay in official use for years.
Two options are offered: genuine ebony with natural boxwood, or ebonised wood with antique boxwood. It sits within our reproduction chess pieces.
European reproductions dominate this category, and for good reason: the patterns that mattered historically were English, Russian and continental. American designs of the same period are much less reproduced, which makes this one genuinely uncommon on an Australian board.
What it shares with its European contemporaries is the tournament brief: a 97mm king, a 42mm base, standard 55mm squares. What it does not share is the levelled officer rank, and that is the reason to choose it over a more familiar pattern of similar size.
The two options differ in more than colour. Genuine ebony brings the set to 1,472g while the ebonised option sits at 1,230g, so the ebony version is noticeably the more substantial of the two. Compare against the rest of the reproduction chess pieces for heavier options.
The American Chess Company was founded in the nineteenth century and became a significant producer of wooden sets in a market otherwise dominated by imports from England. Its equipment was used in official tournaments in the United States and abroad, which gave the patterns a reach that a purely domestic maker would not have had.
The 1904 design was aimed squarely at serious play. The proportions are conservative, the ornament is minimal, and the only real departure from English convention is the levelled bishop and knight. That restraint is what let the design last: it does nothing to draw attention away from the position.
The ebony option uses genuine ebony heartwood against natural boxwood. It is the higher contrast pairing, the timber is dense and close grained, and the whole set comes in at 1,472g. Carved detail on the knight holds a cleaner edge in ebony than in any stained timber.
The ebonised option pairs ebonised wood with antique boxwood, so both sides are softened: the dark side is a deep uniform black without grain, and the light side is oxidised to an aged tone rather than left bright. At 1,230g it is the lighter set by 242g, which is a difference you feel immediately in a pawn.
The 42mm king base puts this set on 55mm squares, standard tournament sizing. The officers sit on 38mm and the rook on 39mm, so the back rank fills evenly without any single piece crowding its neighbours.
No board is included with these pieces. Our chess boards collection is filtered by square size, and the wider Staunton chess pieces range follows the same convention.
The levelled bishop and knight is the detail that makes this set worth carrying, and it is the kind of thing you either notice immediately or not at all. American patterns from this period are rarely reproduced, so if you want something on the board that other players will not recognise, this is a good candidate. Two caveats. The ebonised option at 1,230g is the lighter of the two by a meaningful margin, so choose ebony if weight matters to you. And the levelled officers do make a crowded middlegame fractionally harder to scan than a conventional stepped rank.
- Blake Sterling, CEO & Founder, Sterling Chess
Squares of 55mm, standard tournament sizing. That comes from the 42mm king base rather than the 97mm height.
That is the 1904 pattern this set reproduces. Both stand 76mm on matched 38mm bases, where a conventional Staunton would make the bishop taller. It is a deliberate feature of the design.
The ebony option is genuine ebony heartwood with natural boxwood, at 1,472g, and gives the higher contrast. The ebonised option is ebonised wood with antique boxwood, at 1,230g, and reads warmer and softer. Dimensions and carving are the same.
No. This listing is for the 34 pieces only, including the two spare queens. Boards are sold separately and no storage box ships with the set.
Weighted with an iron stud set into each base under thick green felt. The ebony option is heavier overall because the timber itself is denser. Heavier sets are available across our chess pieces collection.
|
Spec |
Detail |
|
King height |
97mm (3.81 inch) |
|
King base diameter |
42mm (1.69 inch) |
|
Queen height |
85mm (3.34 inch) |
|
Queen base diameter |
39mm (1.57 inch) |
|
Bishop height |
76mm (3.03 inch) |
|
Knight height |
76mm (3.03 inch) |
|
Bishop and knight base diameter |
38mm (1.50 inch) |
|
Rook height |
56mm (2.24 inch) |
|
Rook base diameter |
39mm (1.53 inch) |
|
Pawn height |
48mm (1.89 inch) |
|
Dark pieces |
Genuine ebony or ebonised wood, by option |
|
Light pieces |
Natural boxwood with ebony, antique boxwood with ebonised |
|
Weighting |
Weighted with an iron stud in each base, thick green felt |
|
Piece count |
34, including two spare queens |
|
Total set weight |
1,472g in ebony, 1,230g in ebonised |
|
Recommended square size |
55mm |
|
Origin |
Hand carved in India |
|
Board |
Not included |
32 chess pieces in the option you select
2 spare queens, one per colour
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 bishop and the knight on this set are exactly the same height. Both stand 76mm on a 38mm base, which almost never happens: the bishop is conventionally the taller of the two by five millimetres or more, and the step between them is one of the things that makes a back rank legible.
The American Chess Company took a different view in 1904. Levelling the two minor pieces gives the rank a pairing rather than a staircase, and for a tournament set that had to be read quickly from a seated position it worked well enough to stay in official use for years.
Two options are offered: genuine ebony with natural boxwood, or ebonised wood with antique boxwood. It sits within our reproduction chess pieces.
European reproductions dominate this category, and for good reason: the patterns that mattered historically were English, Russian and continental. American designs of the same period are much less reproduced, which makes this one genuinely uncommon on an Australian board.
What it shares with its European contemporaries is the tournament brief: a 97mm king, a 42mm base, standard 55mm squares. What it does not share is the levelled officer rank, and that is the reason to choose it over a more familiar pattern of similar size.
The two options differ in more than colour. Genuine ebony brings the set to 1,472g while the ebonised option sits at 1,230g, so the ebony version is noticeably the more substantial of the two. Compare against the rest of the reproduction chess pieces for heavier options.
The American Chess Company was founded in the nineteenth century and became a significant producer of wooden sets in a market otherwise dominated by imports from England. Its equipment was used in official tournaments in the United States and abroad, which gave the patterns a reach that a purely domestic maker would not have had.
The 1904 design was aimed squarely at serious play. The proportions are conservative, the ornament is minimal, and the only real departure from English convention is the levelled bishop and knight. That restraint is what let the design last: it does nothing to draw attention away from the position.
The ebony option uses genuine ebony heartwood against natural boxwood. It is the higher contrast pairing, the timber is dense and close grained, and the whole set comes in at 1,472g. Carved detail on the knight holds a cleaner edge in ebony than in any stained timber.
The ebonised option pairs ebonised wood with antique boxwood, so both sides are softened: the dark side is a deep uniform black without grain, and the light side is oxidised to an aged tone rather than left bright. At 1,230g it is the lighter set by 242g, which is a difference you feel immediately in a pawn.
The 42mm king base puts this set on 55mm squares, standard tournament sizing. The officers sit on 38mm and the rook on 39mm, so the back rank fills evenly without any single piece crowding its neighbours.
No board is included with these pieces. Our chess boards collection is filtered by square size, and the wider Staunton chess pieces range follows the same convention.
The levelled bishop and knight is the detail that makes this set worth carrying, and it is the kind of thing you either notice immediately or not at all. American patterns from this period are rarely reproduced, so if you want something on the board that other players will not recognise, this is a good candidate. Two caveats. The ebonised option at 1,230g is the lighter of the two by a meaningful margin, so choose ebony if weight matters to you. And the levelled officers do make a crowded middlegame fractionally harder to scan than a conventional stepped rank.
- Blake Sterling, CEO & Founder, Sterling Chess
Squares of 55mm, standard tournament sizing. That comes from the 42mm king base rather than the 97mm height.
That is the 1904 pattern this set reproduces. Both stand 76mm on matched 38mm bases, where a conventional Staunton would make the bishop taller. It is a deliberate feature of the design.
The ebony option is genuine ebony heartwood with natural boxwood, at 1,472g, and gives the higher contrast. The ebonised option is ebonised wood with antique boxwood, at 1,230g, and reads warmer and softer. Dimensions and carving are the same.
No. This listing is for the 34 pieces only, including the two spare queens. Boards are sold separately and no storage box ships with the set.
Weighted with an iron stud set into each base under thick green felt. The ebony option is heavier overall because the timber itself is denser. Heavier sets are available across our chess pieces collection.
|
Spec |
Detail |
|
King height |
97mm (3.81 inch) |
|
King base diameter |
42mm (1.69 inch) |
|
Queen height |
85mm (3.34 inch) |
|
Queen base diameter |
39mm (1.57 inch) |
|
Bishop height |
76mm (3.03 inch) |
|
Knight height |
76mm (3.03 inch) |
|
Bishop and knight base diameter |
38mm (1.50 inch) |
|
Rook height |
56mm (2.24 inch) |
|
Rook base diameter |
39mm (1.53 inch) |
|
Pawn height |
48mm (1.89 inch) |
|
Dark pieces |
Genuine ebony or ebonised wood, by option |
|
Light pieces |
Natural boxwood with ebony, antique boxwood with ebonised |
|
Weighting |
Weighted with an iron stud in each base, thick green felt |
|
Piece count |
34, including two spare queens |
|
Total set weight |
1,472g in ebony, 1,230g in ebonised |
|
Recommended square size |
55mm |
|
Origin |
Hand carved in India |
|
Board |
Not included |
32 chess pieces in the option you select
2 spare queens, one per colour
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.
