| Staunton | ||
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| Howard Staunton, illegitimate son of Frederick Howard, the Earl of
Carlisle, was the acknowledged world chess champion from 1843 to 1852. He has never had
any British successors to the title, although chess clubs in this country have been as
active as those in any other. Up to 1849, the year when the standardized Staunton chess
design was patented, there was a wide variety of sets in use. There had been complaints by
tournament players of too many different shapes, and of the difficulty of distinguishing
the pieces, and in response to these complaints, a standardized set was designed in 1835
by Nathaniel Cooke. Staunton agreed to lend his name to the new design in order to promote
its commercial success and as a result the name has remained famous long after the man has
been forgotten. Some of the sets were marketed in special boxes, each one bearing a
fascimile of Staunton's signature. King: 10.5 cm (4.1 inches), Pawn: 5.0 cm (2.0 inches) - weighted and felt lined; Board: 48.5 cm (19 inches). |
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| White chessmen: wild pear-tree, mammoth tusk, box-tree; Black chessmen: stained wild pear-tree, stained mammoth tusk, stained box-tree.
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