Decorative Chess Sets

People collect all sorts of various items and curiosities. There are stamp collections, baseball card collections, specific types of jewelry collections, the list broadens and goes on forever. Few collectables, though, offer as much elegance and charm as that possessed by decorative chess sets. Made in a variety of materials and designs, these sets are truly magnificent pieces to be displayed timelessly.

Chess sets come in a variety of shapes, colors, sizes, and materials. They are most often made from wood, ivory, and bone, but can be found in more rare materials such as marble, and even pewter. Piece sizes range from almost pocket-sized 2 1/2", to the looming 7" King collection. Sets can cost as little as one hundred dollars, and reach all the way up to several thousands.

The Chess Store has an excellent selection of decorative chess sets. This store has many beautiful wooden sets, but prefers bone to ivory. According to many, camel bone is an excellent choice because of its large size and availability. Bone sets include such treasures as the Royal Crown camel bone set. This elegant set has many hand-carved intricacies on each piece. A special feature of this set is the detail done in ivory against the ebony pieces. This offers a unique combination of colors that produces a sensational effect. The Lotus Decorative sets also possess this exceptionally beautiful detail. Turkish camel bone is simple but beautiful, and the Austrian camel bone sets offer a modern-esqe straight style. Pepys camel bone sets are by far some of the most beautifully and intricately designed of all the decorative sets. Because of the minute details, these handcrafted sets are few in number, making them an excellent choice for collectors of the rare and beautiful. Other lovely choices for decorative sets in bone are Euro-Burmese and Mughal sets.

Other companies specialize in wooden decorative chess sets. Wooden sets have a more rustic look, but are no less elegant or exquisite than their marble, ivory, or bone counterparts. Wooden sets include pieces made from Rosewood, Red Sandalwood, Walnut, Maple, Boxwood, and burnt Boxwood. The burnt Boxwood is my absolute favorite of all the sets available in wood. The burning process leaves each piece individually unique, and the effect is nothing less than breathe-taking. Chess companies use many different combinations of the different woods to produce a unique appearance of shades and contrasts. That, in addition to highly ornate pieces, creates individual sets that are each masterpieces of their own.

Here are a few wooden sets from Chess Central, http://www.chesscentral.com/sets-pieces-chess/collectible-chess-sets.htm that I found charming. Manohara, meaning elegant in Indian, is a lovely combination of Boxwood and Rosewood. The King stands at 5" tall, and the Knights are done in modest nobility. Sanam, or beloved, sets are sure to become beloved to you the moment you lay eyes on them. The intricate detail used to carve out every inch of this masterpiece is beyond description. The entire surfaces of these pieces are covered from top to bottom with painstaking detail that you cannot help but view with awe. Sundara is another stunning set that is true to its Indian name (meaning beautiful).

Decorative chess sets come in different styles, as well. The most popular and widely used design is the Staunton collection. Designed by Nathaniel Cook, and named for Howard Staunton, a renowned Chess master, author, and Shakespearean scholar, these pieces are both the most commonly used and displayed of all the chess set models. The King's Knight is one of the only sets with a bridled Knight. It is a Staunton set, and offers a unique elegance unmatched even by that of similar sets. Grande Staunton, Cantor Knight Staunton, Meghdoot Staunton, Chetak Staunton, Locket Staunton, and Squadron Staunton are just a few of the many sets carved in the Staunton tradition.

Here is a rather unusual, but still lovely, choice of style for a chess set. Art Deco is certainly one of the most original of its kind. Reminiscent of the 1920's pop fad, these themed sets lend a modern spin to an ancient beauty without destroying the elegance characteristic of all decorative chess sets. Other collectibles include Revolutionary War sets, Civil War sets, Isle of Lewis sets, and Gods of Mythology sets. You can also choose from a variety of colors for your chess set. Black and ivory is the most common combination, but a wide array of colors such as green, blue, and red, are becoming more popular. Stained to perfection, these sets are, once again, different, but always stunning pieces of art.

So whether you are looking for something unique to fill your display case, or want to invest in a real family heirloom, decorative chess sets are excellent choices. You'll be able to, years down the road, sit comfortably looking over your prize with a mixture of contentment and pride. Give yourself a gift that will bring you decades of joy, and will last through the generations.