Plastic Sets
Czech Plastic
![]() Plastic Set from Czech(oslovaquia), in the traditional czech tournament
style, made in 1989 according to the informative price sticker. All
pieces are felted, they are very heavy (weighted?) and have no mold
ridge. Each piece seems to be composed of several parts glued together.
The older wooden version is still being crafted today - check here.... |
Russian Plastic
![]() Extraordinary set, produced in the 80ies as an upper end gift by the Soviet Plastics Industry Association - marbled plastic, generated by mixing variously coloured plastics in liquid form before injecting the mold. King stands 99 mm, set is felted, and contained in a superb folding box board. Another set like this, shown highlighting the translucent beauty of it, can be seen here. |
Garnier![]() French chess pieces, opaque white (the yellow is photo yellow!) and marbled black, with prominent mold ridges used for lateral stripe decoration! Kings stands 80 mm - some ressemblance of major pieces to a German set from the 30ies - see here. |
Services Set

Dsitributed to the British Armed Services in WW2, in a cheaper plastic version, this set is in bakelite, probably 30ies - one side shows the chess symbols, the other is flat for draughts play.
Michael Graves chess set
Michael Graves is a prominent US architect, professor at Princetown university - and designer, who has always maintained a design studio parallel to his other activities. Further information on his designs, his buildings etc can be found here. Among the many objects he has designed, a chess set is a notable facet of his work.
Michael Graves , cont.

Rounded pieces, nice to handle, difficult to move. ovoid forms on square bases. Quite heavy, although the king only stands 66 mm high (loaded?).