Description
Reproduction Northern Upright Chessmen.
A superb set of Reproduction Northern Upright Chessmen, crafted from Antiqued Boxwood and Ebony. The Reproduction was researched and executed by Frank Camaratta for The House of Staunton. This style of chessmen was common in the early and mid-Victorian Period and dates to the 1840s. The King stands an impressive 4-1/2″ tall with a 1-1/2″ diameter base. These Reproduction Northern Upright chessmen are heavily weighted and rest atop green baize base pads. The Kings are cushioned on black English leather pads with gold embossing. The Boxwood pieces are antiqued to produce a very attractive, deep patina. Shown in the accompanying image is a size comparison with a Jaques 4.4″ Staunton King. The chessmen are new and are housed in a premium, divided, Mahogany hinge-top box, lined in green baize. These Frank Camaratta Signature Reproduction Northern Upright Chessmen are Part of The House of Staunton Pre-Staunton Series. The antique chessboard shown in the image is not included in this offering, but can be purchased separately elsewhere on this website.
A Bit of History.
The Northern Upright Tournament chessmen, often referred to as the Edinburgh (sometimes Edinboro) pattern, fall into
the ubiquitous category often referred to as English Playing sets, which also included the Saint George, Lund and Calvert patterns. The English Playing sets were ultimately supplanted by the Staunton chessmen which were introduced to the public in September of 1849. The Northern Upright chessmen were designed by Lord John Hay around 1840. Similar sets of chessmen were made by Dixon, Thomas and William Lund, and John Calvert as well as George Merrifield and John Jaques, among others. This particular design is based on the Northern Upright sets manufactured by George Merrifield. The iconic image on the left shows American Champion Paul Morphy holding a Northern Upright King.
