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English chess sets of the 1860s were built low and broad. A 100mm king on a 48mm base is a wide footprint for that height, and the officers behind it are cut short: a 71mm bishop, a 61mm knight and a 58mm rook, all on 36mm bases. The result is a back rank that sits low and solid rather than tall and stepped.
This reproduction is in genuine ebony heartwood against antiqued boxwood, heavily weighted at 1,540g. The antiqued light side is what makes it read as an old set rather than a new one.
Two boards are offered with it. Both sit in our luxury chess pieces collection.
The pieces are the same in both. Only the board changes, and the two are genuinely different objects rather than two sizes of the same thing.
The 60cm option is black anigre against maple, 13mm thick and 3,400g, a matte finished veneer board made in Spain. It gives the larger playing surface and keeps the whole set near 4,900g. The 58cm option is solid ebony and maple with a sheesham border, 22mm thick and 5,500g, and it takes the set to 7,040g.
The larger board is the dearer option and the smaller one is the heavier, which is worth reading twice. Both run 60mm squares, so the pieces sit identically on either. Other pairings sit across our chess boards collection.
Modern Staunton patterns push height. A 100mm king would normally carry an 85mm bishop and a 75mm knight, so the officers step down gradually from the royal pair and the whole rank reads as a slope.
The 1860s proportions do not work that way. Here the bishop drops to 71mm and the knight to 61mm, nearly forty millimetres below the king, and the rook is lower still at 58mm. The back rank reads as a low field with the king and queen standing clear above it. On a 60mm board that is a legible and rather handsome arrangement, and it is the single clearest way to tell an antique reproduction from a modern set at a glance.
Genuine ebony is the dense black heartwood of the tree rather than a dye over boxwood. It stays black through a chip, it takes a finer edge on the turning, and it varies from piece to piece in a way a dyed set never does.
The light side is antiqued rather than left bright, so it reads as aged cream and picks up a little more shadow in the turning lines. Against ebony that gives a softer contrast than black against white boxwood, which is exactly right for a reproduction of a set that would now be a hundred and sixty years old.
A 48mm king base wants 60mm squares, and both boards supply them. Neither option will let this set move down to a 55mm board later, so the choice is really about surface rather than fit.
Take the 60cm anigre board if you want the larger playing area and a lighter set to move around. Take the solid 58cm ebony board if you want furniture: 22mm of solid timber with a sheesham border is a different class of object from a 13mm veneer. Thirty four pieces including two spare queens either way. No storage box. The pattern is also listed among our reproduction chess pieces.
The pieces are the reason to buy this and the boards are a real choice rather than a size option. Genuine ebony with an antiqued light side, cut to 1860s proportions with the knight and rook sitting low, gives you something that reads as an antique across a room instead of a modern set in dark timber. On the boards, my instinct is the solid 58cm ebony one: 22mm of timber with a sheesham border is furniture, it matches the pieces properly, and it happens to be the cheaper of the two. The 60cm anigre board earns its place if you want the extra playing area or you would rather the set stayed light enough to move. Either way, 60mm squares are not negotiable, so make sure the table is up to it before ordering.
- Blake Sterling, CEO & Founder, Sterling Chess
The 60cm option is a 13mm black anigre and maple veneer board at 3,400g with a matte finish. The 58cm option is a 22mm solid ebony and maple board with a sheesham border at 5,500g. Both have 60mm squares.
Yes. Identical carving, identical dimensions, heavily weighted at 1,540g. Only the board changes.
Genuine ebony heartwood on the dark pieces. The colour runs through the timber rather than sitting on the surface as a dye.
It reflects 1860s English proportions, where the officers sit well below the royal pair. The 61mm knight against a 100mm king is characteristic of the period rather than a shortfall.
No. Each option is the 34 pieces and its board.
|
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) |
|
Pawn height |
55mm (2.16 inch) |
|
Officer base diameter |
36mm (1.41 inch), bishop, knight and rook |
|
Dark pieces |
Genuine ebony (Diospyros ebenum) |
|
Light pieces |
Antiqued boxwood |
|
Weighting |
Heavily weighted, thick green felt on every base |
|
Piece count |
34, including two spare queens |
|
Chess pieces weight |
1,540g approximate |
|
Board square size |
60mm (2.36 inch), both options |
|
Board option one |
60cm black anigre and maple veneer, 13mm, 3,400g, matte finish |
|
Board option two |
58.4cm solid ebony and maple with a sheesham border, 22mm, 5,500g |
|
Total set weight |
About 4,900g with the 60cm board, 7,040g with the solid 58cm board |
|
Pieces origin |
Hand carved in India |
|
Storage box |
Not included |
34 chess pieces, including two spare queens
One chess board with 60mm squares, in the size and timber chosen
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.
English chess sets of the 1860s were built low and broad. A 100mm king on a 48mm base is a wide footprint for that height, and the officers behind it are cut short: a 71mm bishop, a 61mm knight and a 58mm rook, all on 36mm bases. The result is a back rank that sits low and solid rather than tall and stepped.
This reproduction is in genuine ebony heartwood against antiqued boxwood, heavily weighted at 1,540g. The antiqued light side is what makes it read as an old set rather than a new one.
Two boards are offered with it. Both sit in our luxury chess pieces collection.
The pieces are the same in both. Only the board changes, and the two are genuinely different objects rather than two sizes of the same thing.
The 60cm option is black anigre against maple, 13mm thick and 3,400g, a matte finished veneer board made in Spain. It gives the larger playing surface and keeps the whole set near 4,900g. The 58cm option is solid ebony and maple with a sheesham border, 22mm thick and 5,500g, and it takes the set to 7,040g.
The larger board is the dearer option and the smaller one is the heavier, which is worth reading twice. Both run 60mm squares, so the pieces sit identically on either. Other pairings sit across our chess boards collection.
Modern Staunton patterns push height. A 100mm king would normally carry an 85mm bishop and a 75mm knight, so the officers step down gradually from the royal pair and the whole rank reads as a slope.
The 1860s proportions do not work that way. Here the bishop drops to 71mm and the knight to 61mm, nearly forty millimetres below the king, and the rook is lower still at 58mm. The back rank reads as a low field with the king and queen standing clear above it. On a 60mm board that is a legible and rather handsome arrangement, and it is the single clearest way to tell an antique reproduction from a modern set at a glance.
Genuine ebony is the dense black heartwood of the tree rather than a dye over boxwood. It stays black through a chip, it takes a finer edge on the turning, and it varies from piece to piece in a way a dyed set never does.
The light side is antiqued rather than left bright, so it reads as aged cream and picks up a little more shadow in the turning lines. Against ebony that gives a softer contrast than black against white boxwood, which is exactly right for a reproduction of a set that would now be a hundred and sixty years old.
A 48mm king base wants 60mm squares, and both boards supply them. Neither option will let this set move down to a 55mm board later, so the choice is really about surface rather than fit.
Take the 60cm anigre board if you want the larger playing area and a lighter set to move around. Take the solid 58cm ebony board if you want furniture: 22mm of solid timber with a sheesham border is a different class of object from a 13mm veneer. Thirty four pieces including two spare queens either way. No storage box. The pattern is also listed among our reproduction chess pieces.
The pieces are the reason to buy this and the boards are a real choice rather than a size option. Genuine ebony with an antiqued light side, cut to 1860s proportions with the knight and rook sitting low, gives you something that reads as an antique across a room instead of a modern set in dark timber. On the boards, my instinct is the solid 58cm ebony one: 22mm of timber with a sheesham border is furniture, it matches the pieces properly, and it happens to be the cheaper of the two. The 60cm anigre board earns its place if you want the extra playing area or you would rather the set stayed light enough to move. Either way, 60mm squares are not negotiable, so make sure the table is up to it before ordering.
- Blake Sterling, CEO & Founder, Sterling Chess
The 60cm option is a 13mm black anigre and maple veneer board at 3,400g with a matte finish. The 58cm option is a 22mm solid ebony and maple board with a sheesham border at 5,500g. Both have 60mm squares.
Yes. Identical carving, identical dimensions, heavily weighted at 1,540g. Only the board changes.
Genuine ebony heartwood on the dark pieces. The colour runs through the timber rather than sitting on the surface as a dye.
It reflects 1860s English proportions, where the officers sit well below the royal pair. The 61mm knight against a 100mm king is characteristic of the period rather than a shortfall.
No. Each option is the 34 pieces and its board.
|
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) |
|
Pawn height |
55mm (2.16 inch) |
|
Officer base diameter |
36mm (1.41 inch), bishop, knight and rook |
|
Dark pieces |
Genuine ebony (Diospyros ebenum) |
|
Light pieces |
Antiqued boxwood |
|
Weighting |
Heavily weighted, thick green felt on every base |
|
Piece count |
34, including two spare queens |
|
Chess pieces weight |
1,540g approximate |
|
Board square size |
60mm (2.36 inch), both options |
|
Board option one |
60cm black anigre and maple veneer, 13mm, 3,400g, matte finish |
|
Board option two |
58.4cm solid ebony and maple with a sheesham border, 22mm, 5,500g |
|
Total set weight |
About 4,900g with the 60cm board, 7,040g with the solid 58cm board |
|
Pieces origin |
Hand carved in India |
|
Storage box |
Not included |
34 chess pieces, including two spare queens
One chess board with 60mm squares, in the size and timber chosen
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.
