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B and Company produced this pattern in the 1860s, in the decades when the Staunton was still settling into the form we now take for granted. It carries features that later standardisation smoothed away, which is what makes it worth reproducing.
The king base is the first thing to notice. At 48mm on a 100mm piece it is proportionally wider than almost anything modern, and the queen follows at 42mm. This was a period when stability was solved with timber rather than with lead.
Genuine ebony against antiqued boxwood, weighted to 1,540g. It sits among our reproduction chess pieces.
Three things separate this from a contemporary set. The base is far wider: 48mm on a 100mm king, where a modern set of that height sits around 42mm to 44mm. The bishop mitre is cut deeper and more sharply, closer to an actual slot than the shallow groove that became standard. And the pawn is unusually tall at 55mm, which raises the whole front rank.
The tall pawn changes how the board reads. On a modern set the pawns sit low and the officers dominate; here the front rank has real presence and the visual gap between a pawn and a rook is smaller than you expect.
Whether that is better is a matter of taste. What it is not is a modern set dressed up as an old one. Compare it against the conventional patterns in our Staunton chess pieces.
Lead weighting was not universal in the 1860s, and a maker who could not rely on it had to solve stability with geometry instead. A wide foot lowers the effective centre of gravity and increases the tipping angle, which is exactly what a 48mm base on a 100mm piece does.
This reproduction is weighted as well, so it gets both. The result is a set that is genuinely hard to knock over, and a back rank that fills its squares completely. It also means the set needs a generous board, which is why the recommendation is 60mm rather than the 55mm a 100mm king would normally take.
The knights are carved differently on their two sides, so the animal reads as a distinct face from each angle rather than as a mirrored pair. It is a period feature and a fussy one to execute, and it is the clearest evidence of hand work in the set.
The bishops carry a deeper mitre cut than a modern piece. On a contemporary set the slot is often a shallow groove that reads as decoration; here it is cut properly through the head, which is both more legible across a table and more fragile if the set is knocked about.
Squares of 60mm. That is larger than a 100mm king would usually need, and the 48mm base is the reason. On a 55mm board the back rank is essentially solid timber with no visible square between neighbours.
Sixty millimetre boards are a specialist size, so confirm what you have before ordering. A plain or lightly figured surface suits this pattern better than a heavily grained one, because the pieces already carry a lot of visual detail. Our chess boards collection is filtered by square size.
What makes this worth owning is that it preserves the things standardisation removed. The 48mm base is startlingly wide by modern eyes and it is a genuine period solution to stability from an era before lead weighting was universal. The deep bishop mitre and the two-faced knight carving are both fussy hand work that a modern factory pattern would not bother with. Two practical points. It needs 60mm squares, wider than a 100mm king would normally take, because that base fills everything smaller. And the deeper mitre cut is more delicate than a modern shallow groove, so treat the bishops accordingly.
- Blake Sterling, CEO & Founder, Sterling Chess
Squares of 60mm. That is larger than a 100mm king normally requires, and the 48mm king base is why. On 55mm the back rank becomes solid timber.
Genuine ebony heartwood on the dark pieces, not boxwood dyed black.
Lead weighting was not universal in the 1860s, so makers solved stability with a wide foot instead. This reproduction has both the wide base and modern weighting.
Boxwood aged at the factory so it arrives warmer and browner than new boxwood. It gives a softer contrast against the ebony and less glare under a lamp.
No. This listing is for the 34 pieces only. Boards sit across our chess boards collection.
|
Spec |
Detail |
|
King height |
100mm (3.93 inch) |
|
King base diameter |
48mm (1.88 inch) |
|
Queen height |
89mm (3.50 inch) |
|
Queen base diameter |
42mm (1.65 inch) |
|
Bishop height |
71mm (2.79 inch) |
|
Knight height |
61mm (2.40 inch) |
|
Rook height |
58mm (2.28 inch) |
|
Officer base diameter |
36mm (1.41 inch), bishop, knight and rook |
|
Pawn height |
55mm (2.16 inch) |
|
Pawn base diameter |
35mm (1.37 inch) |
|
Dark pieces |
Genuine ebony |
|
Light pieces |
Antiqued boxwood |
|
Weighting |
Weighted, turned rings, thick green felt on every base |
|
Piece count |
34, including two spare queens |
|
Total set weight |
1,540g approximate |
|
Recommended square size |
60mm |
|
Origin |
Hand carved in India |
|
Board |
Not included |
34 chess pieces, including two spare queens
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.
B and Company produced this pattern in the 1860s, in the decades when the Staunton was still settling into the form we now take for granted. It carries features that later standardisation smoothed away, which is what makes it worth reproducing.
The king base is the first thing to notice. At 48mm on a 100mm piece it is proportionally wider than almost anything modern, and the queen follows at 42mm. This was a period when stability was solved with timber rather than with lead.
Genuine ebony against antiqued boxwood, weighted to 1,540g. It sits among our reproduction chess pieces.
Three things separate this from a contemporary set. The base is far wider: 48mm on a 100mm king, where a modern set of that height sits around 42mm to 44mm. The bishop mitre is cut deeper and more sharply, closer to an actual slot than the shallow groove that became standard. And the pawn is unusually tall at 55mm, which raises the whole front rank.
The tall pawn changes how the board reads. On a modern set the pawns sit low and the officers dominate; here the front rank has real presence and the visual gap between a pawn and a rook is smaller than you expect.
Whether that is better is a matter of taste. What it is not is a modern set dressed up as an old one. Compare it against the conventional patterns in our Staunton chess pieces.
Lead weighting was not universal in the 1860s, and a maker who could not rely on it had to solve stability with geometry instead. A wide foot lowers the effective centre of gravity and increases the tipping angle, which is exactly what a 48mm base on a 100mm piece does.
This reproduction is weighted as well, so it gets both. The result is a set that is genuinely hard to knock over, and a back rank that fills its squares completely. It also means the set needs a generous board, which is why the recommendation is 60mm rather than the 55mm a 100mm king would normally take.
The knights are carved differently on their two sides, so the animal reads as a distinct face from each angle rather than as a mirrored pair. It is a period feature and a fussy one to execute, and it is the clearest evidence of hand work in the set.
The bishops carry a deeper mitre cut than a modern piece. On a contemporary set the slot is often a shallow groove that reads as decoration; here it is cut properly through the head, which is both more legible across a table and more fragile if the set is knocked about.
Squares of 60mm. That is larger than a 100mm king would usually need, and the 48mm base is the reason. On a 55mm board the back rank is essentially solid timber with no visible square between neighbours.
Sixty millimetre boards are a specialist size, so confirm what you have before ordering. A plain or lightly figured surface suits this pattern better than a heavily grained one, because the pieces already carry a lot of visual detail. Our chess boards collection is filtered by square size.
What makes this worth owning is that it preserves the things standardisation removed. The 48mm base is startlingly wide by modern eyes and it is a genuine period solution to stability from an era before lead weighting was universal. The deep bishop mitre and the two-faced knight carving are both fussy hand work that a modern factory pattern would not bother with. Two practical points. It needs 60mm squares, wider than a 100mm king would normally take, because that base fills everything smaller. And the deeper mitre cut is more delicate than a modern shallow groove, so treat the bishops accordingly.
- Blake Sterling, CEO & Founder, Sterling Chess
Squares of 60mm. That is larger than a 100mm king normally requires, and the 48mm king base is why. On 55mm the back rank becomes solid timber.
Genuine ebony heartwood on the dark pieces, not boxwood dyed black.
Lead weighting was not universal in the 1860s, so makers solved stability with a wide foot instead. This reproduction has both the wide base and modern weighting.
Boxwood aged at the factory so it arrives warmer and browner than new boxwood. It gives a softer contrast against the ebony and less glare under a lamp.
No. This listing is for the 34 pieces only. Boards sit across our chess boards collection.
|
Spec |
Detail |
|
King height |
100mm (3.93 inch) |
|
King base diameter |
48mm (1.88 inch) |
|
Queen height |
89mm (3.50 inch) |
|
Queen base diameter |
42mm (1.65 inch) |
|
Bishop height |
71mm (2.79 inch) |
|
Knight height |
61mm (2.40 inch) |
|
Rook height |
58mm (2.28 inch) |
|
Officer base diameter |
36mm (1.41 inch), bishop, knight and rook |
|
Pawn height |
55mm (2.16 inch) |
|
Pawn base diameter |
35mm (1.37 inch) |
|
Dark pieces |
Genuine ebony |
|
Light pieces |
Antiqued boxwood |
|
Weighting |
Weighted, turned rings, thick green felt on every base |
|
Piece count |
34, including two spare queens |
|
Total set weight |
1,540g approximate |
|
Recommended square size |
60mm |
|
Origin |
Hand carved in India |
|
Board |
Not included |
34 chess pieces, including two spare queens
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.
