Americas

Argentina. This "Staunton" set is a piece of chess history. It has been made for the benefit of the 1939 Chess Olympiad in Buenos Aires, at that time called: "Torneo de las Naciones". The set is named "Magistral" and made of "Fenolit", which is a product of the Bakelite company Malaspina, Ferrari & Cia. The pieces do differ in size and weight, due to the fact that they have been made and assembled by hand and may have got restorations. These sets were used in the tournament and given to players afterwards.

Argentina. This wooden set is an abstract set made in a series of 100 in favour of Unicef. The set here is set No. 6. Design by Demetrio Karavokiris, Campana, Argentinië. Modelo Funcional Linea Geometrica. This abstract set may not be meant that much to play with, but more as decorative set. Maybe I will move it to the To Look At pages some day. These sets were sold at the 1978 Chess Olympiad in Buenos Aires.

Canada. This is an abstract aluminium set purchased during the Olympiad of Haifa in 1976. The set served as shop window material in a photo shop. It was owned by an Israeli aircraft captain, who was responsible for the purchase of aircraft. It was said that it was a promotional gift of a Canadian aircraft manufacturer. This set has similarities with the well known set by Austin Enterprises 1962 chess set, but our set could be one of a kind.

Colombia. This is a charming, primitive-made and interesting "Staunton inspired" set made of horn.

Cuba. This Staunton inspired set was a gift.

Mexico. The "Pulpit" sets from Mexico are rather common. Here are 3 examples of the "Classic Pulpit" style. The 1st from an chess auction at Bonhams, the 2nd from eBay and the 3rd from a fellow collector. They are composed of several pieces, often connected with a wooden pin. Mostly they are in bone, but 100% wooden sets are also known. The bone sets are almost always white and black, white and red or all white with one side having black bases. Actually the 1st set here did have red pieces once.There exist also a variation with faces.

I did have doubts about the dating of the sets. The Bonham's set was dated 1920, as was the set from eBay. I have seen one dated in the 60ies. The 3rd set here was originally bought in 1996 in Tijuana, Mexico, at the workshop were the sets were being made.

Josh gave on 10-9-2025 a comment with this studio still picture from the 1949 Bogart film “Knock on Any Door.” It seems likely the set was fairly available in Hollywood at the time. So a date of the 1940’s for that version seems reasonable. Before this info I did believe that the sets were produced somewhere in the 2nd half of the 20th century and did not believe that the production of these very similar sets goes that far, 1920 or even 19th century, back in history. Also because the huge amount of sets that are offered. But obviously are these sets made during a long period. Today I believe that the open worked Bonhams set could well be 1920 or even older. I do not think that the 2nd set is 1920, but probably half century younger.

Mexico. These Onyx "Aztec" chess sets are very common and appear in several sizes and colours. Normally there is a matching board, but not this time. There is a stone board with unknown origin, which fits the 2nd set here very well, so I made the marriage.

Mexico. Simple set of the "Tarascan" cut - so called because made principally by Tarascan Indians in central Mexico. These sets are assembled from turned wooden bases, and bone toppings.

A "Tarascan Indian" is a person of the Purepecha people. Today there are 140,000 of them and they live in central Mexico. They are different from the Nahua, the people of the Aztecs.

Mexico. The "Upright", or "Bone Upright" sets are another well known Mexican type. They are made of wood with bone decorations, similar as the "Tarascan" types, which permits to speculate that all wood/bone sets might be made in the same workshops, in the Tarascan area or beyond. That may be true for the "Pulpit" sets as well, as the Knights are very similar.

USA. The maker of these sets is not 100% sure. The Horn-McCrillis company was formed around 1920 when Ronald F. McCrillis partnered with the New York wholesale firm W.C. Horn, Bro. & Co. W.C. They became the largest distributor of cribbage boards in North America and made wooden and bone chess sets. The bone "Staunton" sets were probably based on the German Uhlig sets. The partnership lasted until the death of Bill Horn in 1959, and McCrillis continued under his own company until his retirement and sale of the business in 1964.

USA. Plastic sets from USA made by Drueke and Gallant Knight are very common. In spite of that they are interesting enough to list them here.

Patent D128794, issued by William F. Drueke in 1941 for chessmen.
I have seen these Drueke sets, in different boxes, with numbers 23B and 24. Our set came in a box from H.Baron Company, New York, together with the white and red Gallant Knight set in a similar box.
Unfortunately, I could not find any information on the H.Baron Company.

USA. Small travel chess set from USA. But I have to say that I'm not sure about that origin...