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The Old Columbian is a weighted Staunton in golden rosewood and boxwood, 99mm to the king, and cut for 55mm to 60mm squares. It is a straightforward set to live with.
This is a playing set before it is anything else. The proportions are the even, familiar Staunton ones, and the whole army moves around a board without any fuss.
Golden rosewood, also sold as sheesham, faces a plain boxwood light army. The rosewood reads brown with its grain showing through, so the two sides part company without going black and white.
At 1,150 grams the complete set has the mass to sit down properly without being heavy to lift, and the weighting keeps each piece where you put it.
You will find it in our reproduction chess pieces, in golden rosewood and boxwood.
The Old Columbian keeps to well balanced Staunton proportions, so the army is legible from the first glance and there is nothing to get used to before the first move.
The knight is the piece with the detail in it, and it is the one that gives the set its character. Everything else is drawn plainly around it, which leaves the knight doing the talking on an otherwise quiet board.
The feet are where the rank organises itself. The king takes the widest, the queen comes in below it, and bishop and knight then hold one shared width between them.
The rook tucks in under that pair and the pawn sits a long way inside everything else. The front rank stays quiet to look at, which leaves the back rank carrying the position.
These pieces suit mid sized boards, with squares of 55mm to 60mm. The wider end gives the pawns a little more room and keeps a crowded opening easy to read.
This is the set for someone who wants a full sized army in real timber and fully intends to play with it. It is not a display piece that gets moved off the table for dinner.
It suits a home player with a permanent board in a study or a living room. The scale is generous without taking over the surface it stands on, and the weight is easy to live with.
It also works as a first serious set. The shapes and the proportions are standard, so anything you get used to here carries straight across to a board at a club.
Four queens is the practical detail. Promote a pawn on either side and the queen is already in the set, so the game does not stop while somebody digs through the captured pieces.
The pairing is fixed on this one. Golden rosewood against pale boxwood is the traditional combination, warm and brown, and it sits comfortably in a room with daylight in it.
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.
What you get for the size is balance. The army is big enough to feel proper under the hand and light enough to move without thinking about it, which is a harder combination than it sounds.
The weighting does real work at this scale. Each base has the mass to bring a piece to a stop when it is placed, and the set holds its ground when the table gets knocked.
Buy it as the set you actually play on and let a display set be a separate purchase. If more scale and more mass appeal, look across our luxury chess pieces.
- Blake Sterling, CEO & Founder, Sterling Chess
55mm to 60mm. Both ends of that window work well, so measure one square on your own board before you order anything at all.
Yes, the set is weighted. Every base carries enough to bring a piece to rest on its square and leave it there.
34. That is the 32 a game uses, plus a spare queen of each colour so a promotion does not send you hunting for a captured piece.
So a pawn reaching the far rank can be promoted straight away on either side, without borrowing from the captured pieces or standing a rook on its head.
Yes. They are two names for one timber, and it is the dark half of this set. The light half is plain boxwood.
No, the chessmen are sold on their own here. Match a board to the square size and the set will sit correctly on it.
|
Spec |
Detail |
|
King |
99mm high (3.9 inch), 43mm base |
|
Queen |
83mm high (3.3 inch), 39mm base |
|
Bishop |
72mm high (2.8 inch), 36mm base |
|
Knight |
69mm high (2.7 inch), 36mm base |
|
Rook |
52mm high (2.0 inch), 35mm base |
|
Pawn |
47mm high (1.9 inch), 28mm base |
|
Dark pieces |
Golden Rosewood |
|
Light pieces |
Boxwood |
|
Weighting |
Weighted |
|
Total weight |
1,150 grams (2.54 lbs) |
|
Recommended square size |
55mm to 60mm (2.17 inch to 2.36 inch) |
|
Piece count |
34 |
|
Chess board |
Not included |
34 chess pieces in golden rosewood and boxwood, including four queens
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 Old Columbian is a weighted Staunton in golden rosewood and boxwood, 99mm to the king, and cut for 55mm to 60mm squares. It is a straightforward set to live with.
This is a playing set before it is anything else. The proportions are the even, familiar Staunton ones, and the whole army moves around a board without any fuss.
Golden rosewood, also sold as sheesham, faces a plain boxwood light army. The rosewood reads brown with its grain showing through, so the two sides part company without going black and white.
At 1,150 grams the complete set has the mass to sit down properly without being heavy to lift, and the weighting keeps each piece where you put it.
You will find it in our reproduction chess pieces, in golden rosewood and boxwood.
The Old Columbian keeps to well balanced Staunton proportions, so the army is legible from the first glance and there is nothing to get used to before the first move.
The knight is the piece with the detail in it, and it is the one that gives the set its character. Everything else is drawn plainly around it, which leaves the knight doing the talking on an otherwise quiet board.
The feet are where the rank organises itself. The king takes the widest, the queen comes in below it, and bishop and knight then hold one shared width between them.
The rook tucks in under that pair and the pawn sits a long way inside everything else. The front rank stays quiet to look at, which leaves the back rank carrying the position.
These pieces suit mid sized boards, with squares of 55mm to 60mm. The wider end gives the pawns a little more room and keeps a crowded opening easy to read.
This is the set for someone who wants a full sized army in real timber and fully intends to play with it. It is not a display piece that gets moved off the table for dinner.
It suits a home player with a permanent board in a study or a living room. The scale is generous without taking over the surface it stands on, and the weight is easy to live with.
It also works as a first serious set. The shapes and the proportions are standard, so anything you get used to here carries straight across to a board at a club.
Four queens is the practical detail. Promote a pawn on either side and the queen is already in the set, so the game does not stop while somebody digs through the captured pieces.
The pairing is fixed on this one. Golden rosewood against pale boxwood is the traditional combination, warm and brown, and it sits comfortably in a room with daylight in it.
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.
What you get for the size is balance. The army is big enough to feel proper under the hand and light enough to move without thinking about it, which is a harder combination than it sounds.
The weighting does real work at this scale. Each base has the mass to bring a piece to a stop when it is placed, and the set holds its ground when the table gets knocked.
Buy it as the set you actually play on and let a display set be a separate purchase. If more scale and more mass appeal, look across our luxury chess pieces.
- Blake Sterling, CEO & Founder, Sterling Chess
55mm to 60mm. Both ends of that window work well, so measure one square on your own board before you order anything at all.
Yes, the set is weighted. Every base carries enough to bring a piece to rest on its square and leave it there.
34. That is the 32 a game uses, plus a spare queen of each colour so a promotion does not send you hunting for a captured piece.
So a pawn reaching the far rank can be promoted straight away on either side, without borrowing from the captured pieces or standing a rook on its head.
Yes. They are two names for one timber, and it is the dark half of this set. The light half is plain boxwood.
No, the chessmen are sold on their own here. Match a board to the square size and the set will sit correctly on it.
|
Spec |
Detail |
|
King |
99mm high (3.9 inch), 43mm base |
|
Queen |
83mm high (3.3 inch), 39mm base |
|
Bishop |
72mm high (2.8 inch), 36mm base |
|
Knight |
69mm high (2.7 inch), 36mm base |
|
Rook |
52mm high (2.0 inch), 35mm base |
|
Pawn |
47mm high (1.9 inch), 28mm base |
|
Dark pieces |
Golden Rosewood |
|
Light pieces |
Boxwood |
|
Weighting |
Weighted |
|
Total weight |
1,150 grams (2.54 lbs) |
|
Recommended square size |
55mm to 60mm (2.17 inch to 2.36 inch) |
|
Piece count |
34 |
|
Chess board |
Not included |
34 chess pieces in golden rosewood and boxwood, including four queens
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.
