We all know that chess set is the combination of both chess pieces and chessboard. Chess sets with extraordinary designs are made of different materials such as metals, plastic, wood, alabaster, glass, marble and stone. Stone chess sets are mainly made of alabaster and marble. Since the ban on elephant tusk, sellers now use camel bone to make bone chess pieces.
Plastic chess pieces are basically colorless because of the polymers found in them. Metal chess sets are made of alloys like zinc, tin, copper, bronze, brass, aluminum and pewter.
Wooden chess sets are in great demand among chess lovers, collectors and chess players . As they offer a huge variety to the buyers, Ebony and rosewood make the most luxury chess sets in the world.
These exotic woods are hardwoods and it is very rare. This is first and foremost reason why wooden chess pieces are very valuable and expensive in the market. Aspects such as skilled artisans, usage of finest quality materials and many other also drive up the prices of these exquisite chess sets. Know more why handmade wooden chess sets are expensive.
Things to keep in mind before you actually start carving –
- Carving wooden chess sets require a high level of precision and focus.
- The chess pieces begin life as shapeless blocks of hardwood. Very dense and consistent woods are used, so that meticulous chess pieces are carved out of it. So, you’ll be needing heavy tools and motor to spin the block to carve easily.
- Chess pieces with extremely detailed displaying strands of hair, teeth, etc are costly because of the level of hard work and time put into them for carving out those extraordinary chess pieces.
- Solid understanding on different types of woods used in a handmade chess set can help you make informed decisions about the appearance, quality, and overall experience of the set. Also it allows you to create or select a chess set that aligns with your preferences and intended purpose. So, make sure you must have a proper understanding on various types of woods before carving.
It’s really a work of art, so if you’re 100% sure then go for it. Best of luck.
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Now, let’s dive into the theoretical aspect of how to carve a wooden chess set –
- Designing the chess pieces: The very first step is to choose a design for your chess piece. You can get a design online, from books or you can think of your own design. Second, you have to choose the wood, If you want a black carved piece you can use Ebony wood shown in the picture below:
- Carving the pieces on the wood lathe machine: Take two different kinds of woods, one for darker side and other for the lighter side. You can also choose the same kind of wood for both the sides, the pieces then can be stained afterward. Now take the wooden block and mount it on the lathe.
- Start turning and press the cutting tool up to the turning piece of wood, to begin carving it.
- Doing the fine carving: Now this is the most challenging part of chess making process. Carve your chess pieces to perfection using special tools, knives, and your hand. Use your chess design and give those details to your chess pieces.
- Sanding and treating the chess pieces: It is very important to sand the chess pieces, in order to get the smooth and even surface. Chess pieces are then treated with a solution that helps the chess pieces to preserve.
- Final finishing and polishing: Final touches are made and chess pieces are polished to a high shine. Chessbazaar buff polishes the chess pieces to make the world’s best quality chess pieces.
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*Tools Required: Pencil, Scratch paper, Wooden lathe, Different sandpaper grits. Begin carving your dream chess set or we at chessbazaar will be more than glad to make the chess set that you always wanted but could not find or it was way too expensive to buy one from some other seller. Know More
Do Check Out this amazing video on Luxury Wooden Handmade Chess Sets in Staunton Style & Chess Reproductions from chessbazaar:
Chess pieces or chessmen are made in different materials, styles, and sizes. The difference in the designs of the chess pieces do not have any impact on the game, it is just that the different shapes, sizes, and materials are made to meet the different tastes of the players or chess collectors. In a standard game, each of the chess players starts a game with 16 chess pieces – 1 king, 1 queen, 2 rooks, 2 bishops, 2 knights and 8 pawns. Different techniques and materials are used to make chess sets that give these chess pieces a unique look.
Materials used for making chess sets – Chess pieces are made from a wide variety of materials like plastic, stone, glass, metal, ivory, bone and wood. These materials greatly decide the price of the chess pieces. Plastic chess sets are available at very low prices in the market, whereas a hand carved wooden chess set will be costlier.
Wood has been the most important material for making chess pieces for generations. Sheesham wood, rose wood, bud rosewood. ebony wood and box wood are the most famous woods used for making chess sets. Bud rosewood and ebony wood are the luxury woods and are used to carve high-end chess pieces. Wooden chess pieces are also recommended by FIDE. The quality of our wooden chess pieces is being appreciated by great chess players and chess collectors in the whole world.
A technique used in making chess sets – Chess pieces are either hand carved or machine made and the technique depends very much on the material used. Metal and plastic chess pieces are made by melting them and then putting them in moulds of the desired designs. Chess pieces made from bone and stone are hand carved by skilled artisans.
Handcrafted wooden chess pieces are turned on a lathe. The craftsmanship on the wooden chess pieces is done by experienced artisans. The knight being the most beautiful piece in the set carries enormous importance. The beauty of the chess set lies in the knight of the chess set. Our well-crafted knights represent the highest grade of knight carving skills.
Design of the chess pieces – Chess is a very old game and infinite designs have been originated till now. But the most famous one is Staunton. Staunton is also the officially recommended design by FIDE. Staunton chess pieces appear to be same but the designs have many variations. Chessbazaar offers a wide range of Staunton chess pieces, you will be amazed to see the variations in the designs of the chess sets. There are many other historical designs which are collected by chess collectors but they are very expensive and not everyone can afford those chess pieces. Chessbazaar has reproduced many of such historical and classical designs like 1849 chess set, 1935 Botvinnik Flohr, 1851 chess set, Dublin chess set, Piatigorsky chess set, Grand cigar chess set, and Dubrovnik chess set at very affordable prices so that every chess enthusiast can buy and admire the beauty of these chess sets.
Chessbazaar offers the most meticulously handcrafted wooden chess pieces by our skilled artisans. The expertly carved chess pieces are appropriately weighted and the thick green felt on the bases make your chess pieces walk smoother on a chess board. Explore our full range of chess pieces here >>
A beginning of the new financial year 2016 and tradition dictates that once again we take a look at the new arrivals section and round up the most interesting chess sets of the past few weeks. If you have missed the launches or are simply looking for an orderly recap, the table below should be for your interest.
The 20th Century Historical Staunton Triple Weighted Chess Set (Based on Frank Camaratta Set)
The Sher-E-Punjab Series Chess Set
Combo of Repro Old Antique Edinburgh Upright Chess Pieces in Bud Rose / Box Wood & Red Ash Burl Maple Wooden Chess Board
The 20th Century Historical Staunton chess set definitely managed to stand out, thanks to its Frank Camaratta based knight. The superlative historical chess set is made up of ebony / bud rose wood and boxwood. The King proudly stands at 4.5 inches and its base is a robust 1.8 inches. This chess set features a magnificent double mane knights. Pieces are expertly carved by the instructions of our designing team and inspired from the famous Frank CamarattaSignature Series chess set. The set is available at most affordable price in the market with free shipping.
Chess is one of the most popular games in India and there is one interesting fact that most of the wooden chess sets manufactured in Amritsar(Punjab). As a respect to our hard- working artisans and carvers, we have introduced this dazzling chess set “The Sher-E-Punjab series”. Inspired by the famous Maharaja Ranjit Singh horse, Maharaja of the Punjab, our Sher-E-Punjab Series personifies the legacy of the famous Maharaja Ranjit Singh. The sweeping mane, a distinctive head shape and a bold design of the knight represent the “Lion of Punjab”. Maharaja Ranjit Singh was the founder of the Sikh Empire, which came to power in the Indian subcontinent in the early half of the 19th century. This chess set features a spectacular knight carved in ebony / bud rose wood and boxwood. The design, quality, and craftsmanship of these chess pieces is comparable to the luxury chess sets that are sold for $1000+ by other retailers. Know More
Reproduction lovers rejoiced this month – Combo of Repro Old Antique Edinburgh upright chess pieces was launched. Each chessmen is carefully hand crafted in India with dainty details. Reproduced Antique Series weighted chess pieces offers a 3.75″ King with a base diameter of 1.42″ and all chess pieces are weighted by adding a stud of iron within the base.
Did you ever starve for a chess design you always wanted? Chessbazaar is there to help you make your dream chess set a reality. Know More
And to top things off, some of our best sellers are on backorder, We welcome you to place an order for out of stock items and take an extra discount of 25% off with coupon SAVE25. Shop Now
That’s all for now, Follow us on Twitter & Facebook to stay up-to-date with the latest releases, offers & promotions. We’d glad to know your views and experiences of the chess sets which you have purchased from us.
There’s no doubt that the chess reproductions are always a hot topic in the chess community, regardless of what time of the year it is. To fulfil the aspirations of the collector community, we at chessbazaar, introduced the 19th century repro antique Dublin pattern chess set last month. This announcement gathered a lot of interest among the collectors. Moreover, we also launched 1940-50 reproduced (Soviet Era) Russian series in ebony wood, Reproduced Russian (Soviet Era) series chess set in ebony wood and Dubrovnik chess set v2.0 in sheesham wood. If you have missed the launches or are simply looking for an orderly recap, the table below should be for your interest.
Reproduced 19th Century Antique Series Dublin Pattern Chess Set in Rose & Box Wood – 4.6″ King
Reproduced Russian (Soviet Era) Series Chess Set in Ebony & Box Wood – 4″ King
New 1950 Dubrovnik Bobby Fischer Reproduced Chess Set Version 2.0 in Sheesham / Box Wood – 3.6″ King
1940-50 Reproduced (Soviet Era) Russian Series Chess Set Revised in Ebony & Box Wood – 4.4″ King
The 19th Century Antique Series Dublin Pattern Chess Set was announced earlier last month and there’s no way you could have missed it. On the odd chance you have, you can bring yourself up to speed here in our monthly recap. Extremely rare 19th mid century Dublin pattern chess pieces with a king height of 4.6″ and a base diameter of 1.8″. The pieces are rugged and triple weighted for the fantastic hand-feel and a very satisfying thud on the chess board. This chess set features chessmen that are crafted with a combination of rose wood and box wood. 
Chess is one of the most popular games in the Soviet Union and there is one interesting fact that most of the world chess champions were citizens of the Soviet Union. Russian soviet series is among the most beautiful Russian series we have ever launched and now we have introduced reproduced Russian (Soviet Era) series chess set in ebony & box wood with the king height of 4 inches. The chess set comes with 34 pieces including 2 extra queens. This set is triple weighted and the chess pieces have thick green felt on their bases. 
Dubrovnik Bobby Fischer reproduced series is our most popular series, and all versions of it have been hugely successful, though it was the first one that made the greatest splash. Following the success of Dubrovnik Series, we have introduced the version 2.0 in sheesham & box wood with the king height of 3.6 inches, though some might wonder if it’s actually an upgrade over the previous version! Based on the customers review and suggestions, we worked with our best carvers to bring the most accurate reproduction for our esteemed customers. The result is Dubrovnik 2.0. This version 2.0 is simply gorgeous, and exquisitely striking, therefore each piece is carved with meticulous care. Our most magnificent chess set yet takes nearly a week to create. It’s a chess set that is truly like no other.
1940-50 Reproduced (Soviet Era) Russian Series Chess Set Revised in Ebony & Box Wood – 4.4″ king made the headlines as well, with a king height of 4.1″ and a base diameter of 1.6″ these pieces are rugged and have thick green felt on their bases. The dark side of chess pieces is made in ebony wood and the lighter side is made in box wood. Shop Now
That’s all for now. Follow us on Twitter & Facebook to stay up-to-date with the latest releases, offers & promotions. We’d glad to know your views and experiences of the chess sets which you have purchased from us. You can also get the updates direct on your email by sign upto our newsletter.
Happy Chess Playing!
The month of “love” dedicated to the mighty chess collectors as we came up with the launches of much awaited and anticipated 1935 Botvinnik Flohr Reproduced Soviet chess set and 4” Dubrovnik chess set. Botvinnik set is an arresting chess set, mainly for its excellent value and legendary design. Dedicated to the Mikhail Botvinnik and Flohr , this venerable chess set’s dark pieces are made of Ebony wood and the light pieces are made of Boxwood, bringing back the memories of 1935 famous Botvinnik–Flohr chess match. The King proudly stands at 4 inches and its base is a robust 1.7 inches. The chess set comes with 34 pieces including 2 extra queens. Durbvonik Chess Set V2.0 in 4” chess set has also had a major presence in the best seller section throughout the month. We have also announced two more chess sets last month, so if you think you might have missed the launches or are simply looking for an orderly recap, the table below should be for you. It also comes complete with links to our respective product page.
1935 Botvinnik Flohr Reproduced Soviet chess set
Durbvonik Chess Set V2.0 in 4”
Reproduced Antique Series Dublin Pattern Chess Pieces
1940-50 Reproduced (Soviet Era) Russian Series Chess Set
We again, tie up with World’s famous chess restorer Mr. Alan Dewey for the true reproduction of 1935 Botvinnik Flohr Reproduced Soviet chess set. Each chessmen is carefully crafted with dainty details that add a dash of opulence and visual appeal. Outstanding design features include the bishop without its mitre cut and the details applied to the knight’s mane. The other chess pieces are also uniquely stylized to allow the set to truly stand out. This venerable chess set’s dark pieces are made of Ebony wood and the light pieces are made of Boxwood. Ebony wood is an alluring wood and probably the most admired wood for reproduced chess sets. The King proudly stands at 4 inches and its base is a robust 1.7 inches. The chess set comes with 34 pieces including 2 extra queens. Each piece is generously weighted and features green felt bases to protect the chess board.
Bigger has always been better: As long as we are on the subject of reproduced chess sets, stained crimson Durbvonik Chess Set V2.0 in 4” is one that deserves some attention. Reproduced Dubrovnik chess set v2.0 has an eye-catching design, weighted chess pieces with a 4″ King and base diameter of 1.7″ This version is also double weighted and the chess pieces have thick green felt on their bases. The dark chess pieces are made in Stained Crimson and the lighter chess pieces are made in box wood.
Reproduced Antique Series Dublin Pattern new chess pieces made the headlines as well, with a king height of 4.1″ and a base diameter of 1.6″ these pieces are rugged and have thick green felt on their bases. The dark side of chess pieces is made in ebony wood and the lighter side is made in box wood.
We are already selling one of our bestseller, the 1940-50 Reproduced (Soviet Era) Russian Series Chess Set in Sheesham & box wood and now we have introduced the same in stained box wood version. Each of the chess pieces has thick green felt on their bases. The dark chess pieces are made of stained dyed box wood and the lighter chess pieces are made of box wood.
It comes as no surprise that the Botvinnik & Dubrovnik chess set is still on everybody’s mind but the best is yet to come. We, in association with Mr. Alan Dewey are coming up with the Replica of BCC chess set. Further announcements regarding the launch will be update accordingly on our website/Facebook page.
