SIMPSON'S-IN-THE STRAND CHESS DIVAN
EARLY 19th CENTURY DESIGN
FINELY CARVED GENUINE EBONY with ANTIQUED BOXWOOD
KING = 4¼ INCHES
Established in 1828, this English cafe and restaurant soon became the international center for the greatest chess players in the world.
So famous was Simpson's that the preeminent chess designer, Jaques of London, created a stunning new design of chessmen for its Grand Cigar Divan.
GENUINE EBONY and ANTIQUED BOXWOOD
This exceptional reproduction of the Simpson's design comes to you in the traditional woods: genuine deep black ebony on the dark side, with lustrous boxwood for the light pieces.
The makers of this set have taken the greatest care to capture the elegant, aesthetically balanced feel of the original chessmen, bringing a prized moment in chess history back to life for the modern player.
A GREAT HISTORY
Of special note is the queen's crown. Chess queens before Simpson's usually had a rounded or pointed top, reserving any intimation of a crown for the king -- as in, for instance the French Régence (Regency) sets. Here we see the ball of the queen's head being gradually overtaken by a distinctive crown shape -- the precursor of chess queens we have today in the Staunton sets.
Beyond the chessmen, Simpson's holds an unparalleled station in early- to mid-19th century chess fame. The greatest players of the day (see plaque below) played there, and certainly enjoyed feeling their hands on this exquisite chess design.
FELTED AND WEIGHTED
The chessmen are finished in the style most preferred by the modern player, weighted and felted at the bottoms for the most enjoyable play.
SIZE
The king of this set stands a very tall 4¼ inches, matching the size of the original men at Simpson's.
We recommend a board with 2 to 2¼ inch squares. The board shown has squares of 2 inches.
BOARD NOT INCLUDED IN THIS SALE
This set is sold as chessmen only. Please note that no special display box or chessboard is included in this sale.
For an excellent assortment of reasonably priced chessboards and boxes special for chessmen, please see our listings at this link:
CHESSBOARDS and BOXES FOR CHESSMEN
Shipping, etc...
Shipping is by Priority or First Class Mail: 2-5 business days within the U.S.; 6-10 business days to other countries.
Please see the shipping rate listed below.