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Look at the gap between the queen and the bishop on this set. The queen stands 84mm; the bishop stands 60mm. That is a 24mm drop in one step, and no set designed after 1849 does anything like it.
English makers before the Staunton standard built pieces that way on purpose. The royal pair towered, and everything behind them was cut down to a size that could be produced quickly and would not clutter the board. William Hamlett was working in that tradition in the early nineteenth century, and this reproduces his proportions rather than modernising them.
Bud rosewood against boxwood, 930g across 34 pieces, on a 91mm king. It sits within our reproduction chess pieces.
Most reproductions in our range descend from the 1849 Staunton design or from Soviet patterns that answered it. Both traditions step down gradually from king to pawn, because a graded hierarchy is easier to read across a hall.
This is older thinking. The king and queen are the set; the officers are support. On a board it looks strange for the first few games and then starts to make sense, because a rank of low officers behind two tall royals is genuinely easy to scan.
The practical consequences are a small board and a light set. A 38mm base wants 45mm to 50mm squares, and at 930g this is the lightest set in the batch. Anyone wanting mass should look at the triple weighted options in the reproduction chess pieces.
Until the middle of the nineteenth century there was no agreed pattern. English workshops turned what sold, and a recognisable house style emerged around tall kings, tall queens, and everything else kept small. Bishops were often barely taller than pawns, and rooks were squat cylinders that took almost no time on the lathe.
The economics explain most of it. The royal pieces were the ones a buyer examined, so that is where the work went. The Staunton design of 1849 rejected the whole approach in favour of pieces that could be identified instantly by anyone, and within a generation older patterns like this one had disappeared from serious play.
At 930g across 34 pieces this averages around 27g, which is genuinely light. The officers are small and the ballast in them is modest, so the set lifts and places quickly and never feels like work.
The trade is stability. A 32mm base under a 60mm bishop is fine on a level table and will move if the board is knocked. This is a set for a desk or a display board rather than for a club night on a wobbly trestle, and it is worth being clear about that before ordering.
The 38mm king base puts this set on 45mm to 50mm squares, which is smaller than most boards in circulation. The compact officers mean the back rank will not look crowded even at 45mm, but a standard 55mm tournament board will leave the pieces looking lost.
No board ships with these pieces. Our chess boards collection is filtered by square size so you can match the smaller requirement directly.
This is a set for someone who already knows what a pre-Staunton English pattern looks like and wants one on the board. The 24mm drop from queen to bishop is the whole point and it is faithfully done. Two caveats, both firm. It is light at roughly 27g a piece, with narrow officer bases that will move if the table gets knocked, so it belongs on a desk rather than at a club. And it needs a 45mm to 50mm board, which most people do not own. Buy the board with it or you will be disappointed.
- Blake Sterling, CEO & Founder, Sterling Chess
Squares of 45mm to 50mm, from the 38mm king base. That is smaller than standard tournament sizing, and a 55mm board will leave the pieces looking lost.
A 24mm drop between the two is characteristic of English sets made before the 1849 Staunton standard. The royal pieces carried the design and the officers were kept small. It is reproduced deliberately.
930g across 34 pieces, around 27g a piece. It is the lightest set in this part of the range and is best suited to a desk or display board rather than club use.
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.
Both, with a caveat. The proportions read clearly and the pieces move well, but the narrow officer bases make it less forgiving of a knocked table than a modern tournament set from our Staunton chess pieces.
|
Spec |
Detail |
|
King height |
91mm (3.65 inch) |
|
King base diameter |
38mm (1.57 inch) |
|
Queen height |
84mm (3.31 inch) |
|
Queen base diameter |
36mm (1.4 inch) |
|
Bishop height |
60mm (2.30 inch) |
|
Knight height |
55mm (2.1 inch) |
|
Rook height |
50mm (1.9 inch) |
|
Officer base diameter |
32mm (1.2 inch), bishop, knight and rook |
|
Pawn height |
44mm (1.7 inch) |
|
Pawn base diameter |
26mm (1.0 inch) |
|
Dark pieces |
Bud rosewood |
|
Light pieces |
Boxwood |
|
Weighting |
Weighted, thick green felt bases |
|
Piece count |
34, including two spare queens |
|
Total set weight |
930g approximate |
|
Recommended square size |
45mm to 50mm |
|
Origin |
Hand carved in India |
|
Board |
Not included |
32 chess pieces in bud rosewood and boxwood
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.
Look at the gap between the queen and the bishop on this set. The queen stands 84mm; the bishop stands 60mm. That is a 24mm drop in one step, and no set designed after 1849 does anything like it.
English makers before the Staunton standard built pieces that way on purpose. The royal pair towered, and everything behind them was cut down to a size that could be produced quickly and would not clutter the board. William Hamlett was working in that tradition in the early nineteenth century, and this reproduces his proportions rather than modernising them.
Bud rosewood against boxwood, 930g across 34 pieces, on a 91mm king. It sits within our reproduction chess pieces.
Most reproductions in our range descend from the 1849 Staunton design or from Soviet patterns that answered it. Both traditions step down gradually from king to pawn, because a graded hierarchy is easier to read across a hall.
This is older thinking. The king and queen are the set; the officers are support. On a board it looks strange for the first few games and then starts to make sense, because a rank of low officers behind two tall royals is genuinely easy to scan.
The practical consequences are a small board and a light set. A 38mm base wants 45mm to 50mm squares, and at 930g this is the lightest set in the batch. Anyone wanting mass should look at the triple weighted options in the reproduction chess pieces.
Until the middle of the nineteenth century there was no agreed pattern. English workshops turned what sold, and a recognisable house style emerged around tall kings, tall queens, and everything else kept small. Bishops were often barely taller than pawns, and rooks were squat cylinders that took almost no time on the lathe.
The economics explain most of it. The royal pieces were the ones a buyer examined, so that is where the work went. The Staunton design of 1849 rejected the whole approach in favour of pieces that could be identified instantly by anyone, and within a generation older patterns like this one had disappeared from serious play.
At 930g across 34 pieces this averages around 27g, which is genuinely light. The officers are small and the ballast in them is modest, so the set lifts and places quickly and never feels like work.
The trade is stability. A 32mm base under a 60mm bishop is fine on a level table and will move if the board is knocked. This is a set for a desk or a display board rather than for a club night on a wobbly trestle, and it is worth being clear about that before ordering.
The 38mm king base puts this set on 45mm to 50mm squares, which is smaller than most boards in circulation. The compact officers mean the back rank will not look crowded even at 45mm, but a standard 55mm tournament board will leave the pieces looking lost.
No board ships with these pieces. Our chess boards collection is filtered by square size so you can match the smaller requirement directly.
This is a set for someone who already knows what a pre-Staunton English pattern looks like and wants one on the board. The 24mm drop from queen to bishop is the whole point and it is faithfully done. Two caveats, both firm. It is light at roughly 27g a piece, with narrow officer bases that will move if the table gets knocked, so it belongs on a desk rather than at a club. And it needs a 45mm to 50mm board, which most people do not own. Buy the board with it or you will be disappointed.
- Blake Sterling, CEO & Founder, Sterling Chess
Squares of 45mm to 50mm, from the 38mm king base. That is smaller than standard tournament sizing, and a 55mm board will leave the pieces looking lost.
A 24mm drop between the two is characteristic of English sets made before the 1849 Staunton standard. The royal pieces carried the design and the officers were kept small. It is reproduced deliberately.
930g across 34 pieces, around 27g a piece. It is the lightest set in this part of the range and is best suited to a desk or display board rather than club use.
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.
Both, with a caveat. The proportions read clearly and the pieces move well, but the narrow officer bases make it less forgiving of a knocked table than a modern tournament set from our Staunton chess pieces.
|
Spec |
Detail |
|
King height |
91mm (3.65 inch) |
|
King base diameter |
38mm (1.57 inch) |
|
Queen height |
84mm (3.31 inch) |
|
Queen base diameter |
36mm (1.4 inch) |
|
Bishop height |
60mm (2.30 inch) |
|
Knight height |
55mm (2.1 inch) |
|
Rook height |
50mm (1.9 inch) |
|
Officer base diameter |
32mm (1.2 inch), bishop, knight and rook |
|
Pawn height |
44mm (1.7 inch) |
|
Pawn base diameter |
26mm (1.0 inch) |
|
Dark pieces |
Bud rosewood |
|
Light pieces |
Boxwood |
|
Weighting |
Weighted, thick green felt bases |
|
Piece count |
34, including two spare queens |
|
Total set weight |
930g approximate |
|
Recommended square size |
45mm to 50mm |
|
Origin |
Hand carved in India |
|
Board |
Not included |
32 chess pieces in bud rosewood and boxwood
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.
