Lot #264. Antique Type 1 Bone Staunton Chessmen
Antique Type 1 Bone Staunton Chessmen.
Offered here is a set of Antique Type 1 Bone Staunton Chessmen. These vintage chessmen are natural and red-stained bone. The King stands 3-1/8″ tall with a 1-3/8″ diameter base. Typical for bone and ivory chessmen, the pieces do not have baize base pads. The chessmen are in excellent condition and are housed in a period replacement box. The chessmen play best on a chessboard with 2″ squares. The antique Tanner chess timer and the antique chessboard shown in the images are not included in this offering, but may be purchased elsewhere on this site.
These Type 1 Staunton chess sets were likely produced in several sizes by B & Company around 1860 or a bit earlier. The image shows the brass B & Company plaque found on all B & Company Full Club-size sets, but apparently not on the smaller sets like the one offered here. The Knights are styled much like Knights found on late Georgian and Early Victorian chess sets. Aside from the rather pedestrian non-Staunton Knights, the unusual angular miter cut on the Bishops was unique to B & Company. The chessmen are housed in an unlined slide-top box. There is no way to determine whether is box is original to the set. The chessmen are in excellent condition for their age and have developed a very pleasing patina.
Very little is known about B & Company. My research has turned up empty, as has that of fellow collector Jon Crumiller. These chess sets are seen at auction from time-to-time, but it would appear that production ended by the late 1860s. There is nothing in the literature about the company, nor is there any evidence that they manufactured chess products after that date.
