@piet_pasman, wonderful post! Thanks for starting this thread. It is always good to see something different for a change.
Barleycorn chess sets were a very popular type in the first half of the 19th century, which is why I have dedicated an entire chapter on them in my book "On the Collecting of Chess Sets". They continued to be used even after the introduction of the Staunton design in 1849 although their popularity declined towards the end of the 19th century. Morphy was shown with Barleycorn pieces and there is an interesting engraving from “The Illustrated London News” of July 14, 1855 (i.e. after the introduction of the Staunton design) with prominent participants of an event of the Leamington Chess Club (including Falkbeer and Staunton, in the center of the engraving).
Before they made it into movies, Barleycorn type pieces were featured in various artwork. Here are some examples.
Julian Ashton, The Chess Game
Louis Charles Moeller, The Chess Game
Daniel Garber, Mother and Son (1933)
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