The Collector Series Chess Set

A complete luxury chess set in one order: hand-carved Collector Series pieces, a Spanish elm burl board and a mahogany box to keep them in. The pieces follow the original 1849 Staunton pattern registered by Nathaniel Cooke and made by Jaques of London, with open-mitred bishops and knights modelled on the horses of the Elgin Marbles.

What is in the set

• Pieces: hand-carved wood, king 3.75 in (9.5 cm), base 1.7 in (4.3 cm); heavily weighted; gold-embossed leather pads under the kings, billiard cloth under the rest; 34 pieces including four queens
• Board: Superior Traditional, made in Spain; elm burl and bird's eye maple squares, elm burl frame, 2.25-inch squares, 0.5 in thick, satin finish, moulded edge
• Box: Mahogany Premium Chess Box, two compartments lined in green billiard cloth, brass quadrant hinges, lock and key

Good to know

Board and pieces are matched in size, so nothing else is needed — a ready-made gift.

A wooden board and boxwood pieces will outlast you if you keep two things away from them: water and extremes. Everything below follows from that.

The board

Keep it dry. Water lifts veneer and swells solid wood; a spilled glass should be wiped at once. Keep it out of direct sun and away from radiators, air conditioners and fans: heat and dry air make wood shrink, humidity makes it swell, and a board that lives next to a heater will eventually gap at the joints.

Dust it with a dry, soft cloth. Smudges and fingerprints come off with a cloth that is barely damp. If the surface feels sticky, wipe it dry. Once a month or so, a little beeswax or a furniture polish such as 3M keeps the lacquered boards looking new; our boards have a melamine lacquer that takes polish well.

The pieces

Boxwood wants the same thing as the board: no damp, no heat. Store the set in its box or pouch, not on a windowsill. Do not use polish on the pieces; a dry cloth is all they need. A piece that has taken a knock can be re-felted; write to us.

Folding and travel boards

Close them with the pieces inside their compartment, not loose on the board. Magnets do not mind temperature, but the felt does mind damp, so dry a travel set that has been in the rain before it goes back in the bag.

If something has gone wrong with a set, see the warranty or write to shop@worldchess.com.

Orders over $300 ship free to the US, UK and EU. Return any order within 14 days of delivery.

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