The Curiosity of Regency Style

Who turns and carves these pieces?  What is their fascination as makers?  Who are they producing these sets for?

Good questions.

The design predates the Staunton design. I don't think many people want this design anymore, though I guess there will always be a few exceptions.

The old designs are very nice , Which show you how good the skills of the turner was back then & are not cheap to buy . As for today market some people live in big old houses from that time ? All down to taste I guess !

Looks like a Northern Upright design.

I don't think you would buy this as a playing chess set. The design is two centuries old. But would make for a nice display chess set.

The knights are from 3 unique sets. I expect they’d be wonderful for blitz for the easily annoyed - you can practically fence with them!

You would have to show the rest of the chess set. The knights are a Northern Upright design. And that design had many variations.

Desperate,

I imagine that you are a young man based on many of your responses here. You are enthusiastic which is a good quality. As I have grown old, a lesson I have learned - mostly the hard way sadly - is to *engage* other people rather than ‘tell’ them. You learn things and tend to develop stronger friendships.

Take that bit of experience as you will. There are many pre-Staunton designs, of which the Northern Upright is one, with these ‘upright’ figures. Frank Camaratta describes one of those pictured as an ‘old Irish pattern based on the Killarney set’. The middle set is described as ‘strongly inspired by the primitive Selenus design (18th C) - I have an antique Selenus set, by the way. The largest is described as ‘Dutch Regency Style’ (post-French Revolution, early 19th C).

There is a lot of variety in the world of chess piece design and it has continued to evolve over many centuries. It fascinates us all, and of course, we all have our favorites (although even these change with us over time!). It really is wonderful to have this variety over time as well as within our time - a testament ultimately to the genius of this game.

They’re producing them for people like me!

My wife has a pre-Staunton set made out of bone I believe. I don’t know if it’s a Regency set per se, or something like Selenus. I’m not well versed yet in the differences between various of those pre-Staunton pillar-based chess sets. But it’s such a fascinating design, with the tulip-like multi-segmented pillars for the bishops; and the rooks are elaborate towers with flags on top. They’re impractical but charming and compelling. Nice display pieces.

I’ve found I particularly enjoy old Dutch chess sets. The knights are often some of the goofiest designs—horses with very long arched necks; and the rooks are towers of a very particular design I haven’t seen anywhere else. Super charming. Below is a Dutch set from the late 18th century.

I’m actually amazed at the sight of sets like these when you put them on the board. It looks quite chaotic like a zoo full of exotic animals, but at the same time so elegant, with all those tall pillars and long necks.

Yeah, I definitely understand people being enamored with pre-Staunton sets, if only for being so wildly different from the sets we’re used to today.

@WandelKoningin, the Dutch set you are showing is mine and it was actually the one that sparked my interest in collecting antique chess sets. I can understand your feelings, because that was exactly what was driving me towards this design - the design is archaic yet elegant. I have managed to acquire more than just one Dutch set in the meantime and I am happy with all of them. That they are apparently called "Dutch Regency" is rather stupid, though. Their design does not have anything to do with the French Régence pieces. If at all, I would dare say that they are more closely related to the Selenus design than to the Régence design. But the origins of the Dutch design are not clear anyway. Here are two more 18th century Dutch sets from my collection:

Correct. So you can not tell just by the knight alone. That is why I ask to show the rest of the chess set. And anytime you see that knight style upright design. It is going to be pre Staunton.

And I did not tell you anything....

I was responding to this question only psycho..

Who turns and carves these pieces? What is their fascination as makers? Who are they producing these sets for?

Answer...

Looks like a Northern Upright design.

I don't think you would buy this as a playing chess set. The design is two centuries old. But would make for a nice display chess set.

This Dutch set is so beautiful. 😍🤗

Wow, beautiful sets! I think I’ve seen your second set before. Those knights were particularly what I was thinking of when I said some of their knights are among the goofiest I’ve seen. But they leave such a lasting impression! Beautiful rooks in the second set as well.

And I can definitely see the resemblance with the Selenus style, particularly in the knights. The Dutch sets do seem to lack the tulip heads, don’t they?

Yes, the tulip crowns of the French Régence sets are a feature that the Dutch sets do not have. Another feature of Régence sets is that the queens, the bishops and the pawns have the same finial.