Modern Philidor reproduction

Having missed out on the opportunity to purchase an antique Philidor set (there was a minor question mark over it's authenticity), when this reproduction came up with a hefty discount I jumped at the chance. It is a really very good reproduction, though the knights' manes are a bit too deeply cut away from the body imho, and the cheeks are a little too defined. Still, it gives a very good impression of what an original set would have looked like. I can but dream that I will one day have a "real" one in my collection.

There are very good write ups on other chess collector's websites explaining the origin and short-lived nature of this design - essentially the design was rubbished and ridiculed by Howard Staunton, which led to its commercial failure. Staunton, obviously, had a vested interest in the success of the newly developed Jaques Staunton design. Though, to be fair to Howard Staunton, the early Jaques Staunton design does rather blow the Philidor out of the water! This set has since made its home with a collector friend (October 2024).