Lot #703. Large Jaques Status Quo Travel Chess Set, Type IV

Description

Large Jaques In Statu Quo Travel Chess Set, Type IV

This is a rare example of a Type IV Jaques In Statu Quo Travel Chess set, more correctly, “Status Quo”. This is the very rare and largest version of the Jaques In Statu Quo travel chess set, measuring 16-5/8″ long by 12-5/8″ wide. The red stained and natural ivory chessmen have a King measuring 3/4″ tall by 1″ in diameter.  It has an additional section at each side of the board to store and secure captured pieces. The older style brass slide along the edge locks the mechanism in place during place. The newer Jaques In Statu Quo sets use an external brass channel that captures the deadbolt when engaged. The name “Jaques & Sons Makers, London” is imprinted on a brass plaque inset along one edge of the frame. The set is lacking its original black leather slip case. The mechanism is in excellent working condition as are the board and chessmen. The extra area for the captured pieces was started in 1857. Since the Jaques & Son was used between 1859 and 1898, and the word Patent  and not Patentees is imprinted on the frame, the manufacture date of the set can be reasonably dated very close to 1859, after which, I believe, the word was changed to Patentees.

The Jaques patent application is dated 1st July 1853 and was submitted on 2nd July.  The patent was granted on  16th August 1853.

The Jaques In Statu Quo travel chess set features a hinged folding board with an ingenious patented locking system. By depressing two bone buttons located at each half of the chess board, the chessmen, which have slotted brass pegs, are locked in place so the game can be halted midway and stored for a later date with the position kept in tact. An additional inside button unlocks the pieces. The Rosewood and Holly chessboard is housed within a mahogany frame. The chess set lacks its original leather case. The board, chessmen and mechanism are in excellent condition.

Jaques In Statu Quo portable chess sets were produced in four basic sizes. These were available in either Red-stained and natural Bone or African ivory. Each chess set came housed in a Black leather carrying case with a lockable flap covering the small end of the case. The lockable outside of the flap had a gold embossed Jaques manufacturer’s emblem. To facilitate remembering which side had the move when the game was paused, there was a slider on the underside of the flap which would show either a red or a white swatch. Each case originally had a pull-ribbon to aid removal of the chess set. Few of these ribbons survived.

1. The most common size was 9-1/8″ x 9-1/8″, Thye I, with bone or ivory chessmen having a King height of 5/8″ by 7/8″ in diameter. These came in two

   

   leather case configurations. One was a rather typical parallelepiped, the second had a rounded spine with a small lid atop the spine to insert the captured chessmen. It had a lockable flap covering the small end of the case.

2. Next, size and probably the most practical, was 11-1/2″ x 9-1/8″, Type II, and used the same bone or ivory pieces as the smaller size. The major difference between this and the smaller sets was the extra field at each end to secure the captured chessmen. Because of the extra space on the board for captured pieces, this set did not utilize the rounded spine Leather case.
3.  There were two larger sizes. The Type III measured 12-5/8″ x 12-5/8″ with bone or ivory chessmen having a King height of 3/4″ by 1″ in diameter. These came in one leather case configuration with a lockable flap covering the small end of the case and pull-ribbon to aid removal of the chess set.
4. The largest of the In Statu Quo Travel Chess sets was Type IV like this one, which measured 16-5/8″ x 12-5/8″ with space for the captured chessmen at each end of the chessboard. It utilized the same bone or ivory chessmen as the set above. These came in a rather distinctive leather case configuration It was a typical parallelepiped, but with its lockable flap covering the long face of the case. This is the set pictured in the “Death Photo” of Alexander Alekhine.