Jaques of London
18" Inlaid Chess Board

Jaques of London
18" Inlaid Chess Board

Jaques of London's beautifully made 18" Inlaid chessboard, expertly crafted with Walnut and Sycamore 43mm squares (1.69") and a decorative inlay border. Suited for 3" to 3.5" King Chess pieces.

 Chess Board Jaques of London has been instrumental in the development and success of modern chess. Chess pieces before the mid 19th century were of two kinds - excessively elaborate and costly hand-carved reproductions of the Kings court, or rudely turned and daubed pieces in which rank was dictated by height alone. In the 1840s, this all changed. Nathaniel Cooke, proprietor of the Illustrated London News, brought John Jaques a new and elegant design for chessmen. Between the two of them, this initial design was polished to produce a set using symbols (for the king, a crown, for the bishop, a mitre) which could be easily recognized and reproduced. Handmade Chess boards This radical design received rave reviews in the press, particularly for the exquisite design of the Knight, based on sculptures from the famous Elgin Marbles. Mr Howard Staunton, the first British chess World Champion, was so taken with the design that he agreed to have his name and signature adorn every box of pieces. The Staunton chess set, as it became known, is now the de facto standard for play at all levels. Few companies can say they influenced the development of a game the way Jaques of London has shaped the world's favorite board game, chess.

A beautifully made 18" Inlaid chessboard, expertly crafted by Jaques with Walnut and Sycamore 43mm squares (1.69") and a decorative inlay border. Suited for 3" to 3.5" King Chessmen.