"chess set", "chess sets", "chess pieces", "chess museum", "schaak"
 

“Toy”  (Germany)

Germany. "Toy" sets are named so, because these sets appeared in the German toy catalogues of the mid to late 19th century like "Das Sonneberger Spielzeugmusterbuch (von 1831)". These sets are most likely made in the Ore Mountains. But we have seen them also in Nuremberg pattern sheets from the mid-19th century.

Specific on those sets is that there are some figural aspects. You always see small faces and mostly hair and hoods and so on the pieces. In spite of being somewhat figural, are these sets well suited to play with. Those sets came in shaker boxes as far as I know, but those boxes have been lost very often. I do not have a "Toy" set with its shaker box.

Knowing this, then this list of sets starts with a set without the typical "Toy" characteristics, as no faces are drawn on the pieces. However, the whole set is just in line with the "Toy" sets. Since a post in march 2023 I did a closer look at the 4th set and now I'm not 100% convinced that the faces there are original, so I wonder if we can call it a "Toy" set.

« of 5 »
  • Germany, "Toy alike"
  • Mid 19th century
  • Fruitwood K 7.7; p 3.7
  • Box/Board 29.7×14.6×5.4
« of 5 »
  • Germany, "Toy"
  • Mid 19th century
  • Fruitwood K 9.6; p 5.2
« of 5 »
  • Germany, "Toy"
  • Mid 19th century
  • Fruitwood K 9.1; p 4.7
  • Board 41.3×41.3
  • Germany, "Toy"?
  • Mid to late 19th century
  • Fruitwood K 8.9; p 3.1