Description
Jaques Chessmen in its Original Carton Pierre Casket, Circa 1856
Offered here is a rare example of a set of Jaques Chessmen in its original Carton Pierre Casket, Anderssen Drop-Jaw style, boxwood and ebony, inscribed “Jaques London” on the rim of the White King. The chess pieces are nicely weighted and sit atop green English baize base pads. This is a full tournament-size set. The King stands 8.9 cm tall with a 1-3/4″ diameter base. These sets are referred to as the Jaques Anderssen Drop-Jaw style according to the Camaratta Codex. The King side Rooks and Knights are marked with the King’s crown mark on their summits. These later Weighted Jaques Anderssen chessmen were manufactured between 1855 and 1862. This particular set dates to 1856. The Bishops are very attractive with wide vertical miters.
These Weighted Jaques Chessmen are in superb condition and are housed in their original Leuchars Carton-Pierre casket which has been expertly restored and still bears its original interior material, trim and the faded and torn, yellow manufacturer’s label. These chess pieces play and display best on a chessboard with 2-1/8″ or 2-1/4″ squares. The reproduction chessboard shown is not included but is available at additional cost. The chessboard can be had with or without the Carton-Pierre backside panels. For a complete selection of our finest new and antique chessboards and chess clocks, click here. For more on the background of the John Jaques company, click here. For a history of the Staunton Chessmen, click here.
Karl Ernst Adolf Anderssen was born on July 6, 1818, in Breslau, Germany (now Wroclaw, Poland). He is considered to have been the world’s leading chess player for much of the 1850s and 1860s. Anderssen learned to play chess from his father at the age of nine. Anderssen worked as a professor of mathematics at a local college. Although he loved chess it was only considered a pastime, not his profession.
Anderssen was very successful in European tournaments from 1851 to 1878, taking first prize in over half of the events in which he played. Anderssen ranks as one of the top five players from 1851 to shortly before his death in 1879. Anderssen’s finest performance was the famous London Tournament of 1851. This is recognized as the first major tournament of the Modern Era. Anderssen triumphed in a knockout tournament boasting the 16 best players in the world. Although Wilhelm Steinitz is recognized as the first official world champion, the organizers of the 1851 London International tournament considered the winner of this premiere tournament to be the World’s Chess Champion.
That title was short-lived when Anderssen was quite soundly defeated by Paul Morphy in their 1858 march. However, Morphy abruptly retired from chess and Anderssen was again considered the World’s leading player. It is interesting to note that Anderssen achieved most of his successes when he was past 50 years of age.
Anderssen is famous even today for his brilliant sacrificial attacking play, particularly in the “Immortal Game” (1851) and the “Evergreen Game” (1852). Steinitz rated Anderssen as one of the two greatest attacking players of his time. An unassuming man, Anderssen was one of the most likable of chess masters and became an “elder statesman” of the game.
Anderssen died on March 13, 1879, in his hometown. The Deutsche Schachzeitung noted his death in 1879 with a nineteen-page obituary. His cause of death was a heart attack. Anderssen’s grave is now at the Osobowicki Cemetery.
