BY J. JAQUES, LONDON, CIRCA 1870

Nathaniel Cook's design was patented in 1849 and several months later John Jaques gained the manufacturing right and started to supply retailers, such as W. Leuchars of Piccadilly. The dating of these classic chess sets has evolved into an academic art. Alan Fersht notes that ivory kings were stamped 'J. Jaques London', like this example offered, during the first years of production. See fig. 5, dated 1849-50. The crown stamp on the rook is also similar to those dated 1855. The knights' heads of early sets closely followed the examples from the Parthenon frieze, much admired in the British Museum from 1832, although different horses were selected as models. This one relates to the Selene Chariot horses. Alan Fersht, Jaques Staunton Chess Set 1849-1939, published, 2007 The ubiquitous Jaques' Staunton chess men were first exalted in the Times of 9th November 1849, "it is to be remarked that, while there is so great an accession to elegance of form, it is not attained at the expense of practical utility". At this time a set, carton-pierre box and handbook on the game was priced at 5,50 shillings. The chess champion, Howard Staunton, was recruited by Jaques as a means of marketing the sets and protecting his manufacturing right. Each box was originally issued with individually signed labels. As production accelerated the labels,(red were used between approximately 1850-60), included the number of the set and a facsimile of Staunton's autograph.
COMPARATIVE LITERATURE
Michael Mark, British chess sets, V&A Museum and Chess Collectors International, 1986
Gareth Williams, Master Pieces, Quintet 2000