*SOLD* Crown Royale (Corona Reginum); Vintage German Staunton Chess Set, c.1970

Corona Reginum; 32 vintage chess pieces without board in their original box, wood, light brown vs. dark brown, partially weighted, artistically recreated, Bavarian/Austrian, c.1965-1975

Height: King 8.5cm, weight 18g, base width 2.8cm; Queen 7.5cm wt. 13g;

Bishop 5.7cm 8g, Knight 5.5cm 8g, Rook 4.2cm 10g, Pawns 4cm 4g.

W: Lush mottled grey felt pads; B: same

Original Box Dimensions; 21 x 12.5 x 7cm (see thechessschach.com Gallery for pictures).

 

A handsome Germanic Staunton design that has stood the test of time. The earliest versions of this pattern (c.1920s) are more slender and columnlike in appearance, reminiscent of the Austro-Hungarian Upright sets of the early 1900s. This later pattern has adapted with time and carries a lower centre of gravity whilst retaining the trademark ‘onion-shaped’ crown, reflective of the English St. George patterns of the early nineteenth century.

 

The set came to me in excellent condition apart from a slight chip to the white king’s finial which I have repaired. While the design was attractive the original finish was bland and devoid of character, a condition I decided to remedy by removing the black paint from the dark side and antiquing the natural wood beneath, The light side has also been stripped down and darkened several shades, ageing and antiqued with every step along the way. The set now feels and looks a lot older than it really is.

(A photo of the set with its original finish can be found in our Gallery @ thechessschach.com)

 

Weight has also been added to the royals and rooks along the way, providing the set with a little more Oomph! and now feels perfectly balanced. Disc weights were used on the royals giving greater stability in rapid play, should you be that way inclined. 

 

A point of interest is the design of the king’s finial, an abstract form of a cross, which closely resembles the Soviet GM3 king’s finials of the 1950s and 60s. The Soviets borrowed freely from many different patterns throughout Europe and I strongly suspect that this was the source of the “unique” GM3 finials.

 

All in all, a wonderful example of my antiquing methods which I achieve using various combinations of stains, wax, shellac and varnishes, culminating in a finish that feels as smooth as a baby’s bottom!

 

Both kings carry the NEW hand-painted 2023 IRIDESCENT PEARL ‘Power’ signature of the artist on their bases and are accompanied by our unique ‘Certificates of Artistry’ which are posted out separately, once we tally up how many pearl signature sets passed through our galleries in 2023.

 “All good things…” as the old saying goes.

 

 

Ref Code: CR23