1.Intro
The history of the Staunton Chessmen dates back to the spring of 1849 when the design was registered by Nathaniel Cooke. The Staunton pattern was later manufactured by John Jaques of London and sold to the public in the autumn of 1849. The design was named after the English Shakespearean scholar Howard Staunton, who claimed to be a world champion. There is much speculation as to whether the design was actually the brainchild of Cooke, Jaques or Staunton. It is relatively clear to this author that the pattern was not designed by the egotistical Staunton, as he never claimed to be.
It is well known that on 1 March 1849 Nathaniel Cooke, aged 198, of the Strand, London, registered a decorative design for a group of chessmen under the Decorative Designs Act of 1842. At that time, there was no provision for the registration of any designs or ivory items, and registration was restricted to Class 2, items made mainly of wood.
John Jaques acquired the right to manufacture such sets and they were made available for retail trade on 29 September 1849. On the same day, the following advertisement appeared in the Illustrated London News:
| Under the auspices of the famous chess player, Mr. Stainton, a set of chess pieces has recently appeared whose patterns combine elegance and solidity to an unprecedented degree. A guiding principle is to give meaning to the different parts through their form – thus kings are represented by crowns, queens by crowns, and so on. These pieces are often designed to be hand-friendly; it is noteworthy that although the elegance of form is so greatly enhanced, it does not come at the expense of practicality. The Mr. STAUNTON’S pattern takes but elevates the conventional form; the base of the Pieces has a large diameter and is more solid than the usual set. @ Illustrated London News, 8 September 1849. |
2.Reviews
This site is the official shop of the American Chess Federation. Everything you buy directly supports the organisation!
Prices are slightly higher than Amazon, but you get slightly higher quality vetted items.
I ordered a basic chess set for my children and one of the pieces broke. Customer service was great and it was replaced the first time it broke!
3.Promote Info
Cyber Week Deals – Save 20% with coupon code:CYBER
Black Friday Deals – Save 20% with coupon code:BLACK
Black Friday Presale – Save 15% with coupon code:EARLY
Save 10% off at US Chess Sales to honor Veterans Day with coupon code:VETERAN
Save 20% on orders over $250 with coupon code:HALLOWEEN20
Save 15% on orders valued $100-$250 with coupon code:HALLOWEEN15
Save 10% on orders up to $100 with coupon code:HALLOWEEN10
Save 20% with coupon code BLACKFRIDAY
15% off 4th of July Sale USCF with coupon code:JULY
Buy 3 DVD’s Get 1 Free at USCFSales.com
Browse Our Large Selection Of Chess Boards, Sets, Pieces, Accessories, & More! The World’s Finest Chess Store. Up to 80% Savings. Buy Online Today. Free Shipping On $100+.