Magnificent Victorian Red & White Hand‑Carved Bone Chess Set in Brass‑Bound Casket.
 
A superb Victorian red and white bone chess set, hand‑carved and turned in the classic mid‑19th‑century English taste, housed in a wonderfully theatrical brass and bone mounted treasure‑chest style case. This is the kind of set that instantly becomes the focal point of a room.
 
The tall, elegant kings stand around 10.5 cm (just over 4 inches), with deeply carved tiered bodies and fine decorative turning that clearly echo the prestigious Lund / “Barleycorn” tradition seen in London and Anglo‑Indian work of the 1840s–1860s. One army is stained a rich cochineal red, the other left natural, giving the classic Victorian contrast prized by collectors. the stain has faded/worn on three pieces.
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Each piece shows the hand of a skilled carver:
Slender baluster pawns with beaded bases and tiny gadrooned edges
Rooks as turreted towers topped with individual flags
Knights with stylised horses’ heads, full of character
Graceful bishops and queens echoing the same turned and carved vocabulary as the kings
 
The ensemble is completed by a domed wooden casket clad in engraved brass strapwork and decorative studs, with shaped bone plaques and a plush, mauve‑coloured interior lid lining. It looks like a miniature pirate treasure chest and sets the whole group off beautifully when displayed open or closed. 
Style, construction and staining place the set firmly in the mid‑Victorian period, circa 1850–1870.
 
Condition
Antique condition with honest signs of age and use.
Red staining attractively mellowed, with some expected variation and fading on a few pieces.
Natural bone showing age toning, minor surface marks and the odd tiny hairline typical of 19th‑century bone.
Brass‑mounted casket sound and extremely decorative, with age‑related tarnish, small marks and wear to the finish and interior lining, brass lifted in two places.
The key fits but does not turn the lock
Please examine the photos carefully as they form part of the description.
A perfect piece for…
Serious chess and games collectors
Curiosity cabinets and Gothic / Victorian interiors
Film, theatre or photography props needing an authentic 19th‑century feel
An unforgettable gift for a chess‑lover with a taste for the unusual
This set is a genuine 19th‑century antique; slight irregularities in carving and colour are integral to its charm and authenticity, not flaws. It has tremendous presence on a table or sideboard and rewards close inspection from every angle.
If you would like exact heights for each piece, additional photographs, or a short video of the set in the round, just ask – happy to help.
 
The box measures 19 x 14cm (7.5" x 5.5"), it fits the set perfectly well even if the pieces are casually put back and so is most certainly original.