{"title":"Themed Chess Sets by Berkeley","description":"\u003cp\u003eIn Somerset, England, Berkeley Chess designs and manufactures high quality theme chess pieces.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Berkeley Chess collection formed to meet the demand among chess players together with their families and friends for a unique gift related to their hobby. Theme chess sets offer a perfect, complementary product which combines an interest in chess with that of history, literature, and occasionally whimsical subjects.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAiming to provide competitively priced yet high quality pieces, Michael and his experienced team of specialists set up the factory in Somerset England.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe are pleased to introduce the Berkeley Chess line in September of 2017. Right now, if any designs are interesting to you, feel free to click the button to “email me when available” displayed on the page for that product. It does not commit you to purchase, but tells us what is of most interest so we can supply accordingly. And, the moment it is in stock, you will receive an offer by email.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003eUtilizing a careful process, this range of chess sets are stained in Cardinal (a contemporary red) and Russet (a contemporary brown). It’s then further stained to add an antique effect. This results in an aged beautiful set that is eye catching and really stands out. They are well weighted with an improved ratio of crushed marble and resin, and then finished with a felt underlay.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u0026gt; \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/blog.chesshouse.live\/berkeley-chess-collection-theme-chess-pieces-interview-with-michael\/\" title=\"Berkeley Chess interview with Michael\"\u003eRead interview with Michael of Berkeley Chess\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"cardinal-red-isle-of-lewis-pieces-on-palisander-board","title":"Cardinal Red Isle of Lewis Pieces on Palisander Board","description":"\u003cp\u003eHere are the iconic Isle of Lewis chess pieces on a fine Santos Palisander chessboard from Spain.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe skilled craftsmen at Berkeley Chess have interpreted the Isle of Lewis chessmen on capturing the majesty of the original sculptures. Paired with this amazing chess board it's a fine chess set anchored in history.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eThe Chessmen\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOriginally crafted from walrus ivory and whales teeth the iconic Isle of Lewis chess pieces were discovered in the vicinity of Uig on the Isle of Lewis some time before 11 April 1831. The precise location seems to have been a sand dune where they may have been placed in a small, dry stone chamber. The hoard which consisted of 78 chess pieces and 15 other artifacts was initially shown at the Scottish Antiquaries Society in Edinburgh which hoped to acquire it but was unsuccessful in its fundraising efforts. The British Museum eventually acquired it between November 1831 and January 1832.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe pieces were probably made in Trondheim, Norway, about AD 1150-1200. At this period, the Western Isles, where the chess pieces were found, were part of the Kingdom of Norway, not Scotland. It seems likely they were buried for safe keeping on route to be traded in Ireland.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe chess pieces testify to the strong cultural and political connections between the kingdoms of the British Isles and Scandinavia in the Middle Ages, and to the growing popularity within Europe of the game of chess, the origins of which lie in India after around 500 BC. Chess arrived in Christian Europe via the Islamic world, where the game was adapted to reflect medieval European society. Of the ninety-three pieces of this hoard known to us today, eleven pieces are in Edinburgh at the National Museum of Scotland, and eighty-two are in the British Museum.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eKing Height: 3.5\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eKing Base: 1 7\/8\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eKing Weight: 4.1oz\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSet Weight: 53.6oz (3lbs 5.6oz)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e32 Pieces\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBoxed weight 4lbs 10oz\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eThe Chessboard\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStylish Santos Palisander and Maple veneered board features an inlay border and a matte finish that is pleasing to the eye and touch. The striped and highly visible grain of the Palisander wood is of the Dalbergia genus, the same family as Rosewood and for this reason is an especially nice pair with many rosewood sets.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe playing surface and other surfaces are finished with high quality veneers and a special finish to enhance and protect the wood, giving the chess board a smooth matte finish and preventing glare. The board is manufactured in Spain with the same techniques used for high-end furniture.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBoard dimensions 21 5\/8\" x 21 5\/8\" x 1\/2\" (21.63\")\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSquare size: 2 1\/8\" (2.13\")\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Chess House","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":12648353333335,"sku":"E250","price":299.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1297\/3303\/products\/cardinal-red-isle-of-lewis-pieces-on-palisander-board-3796145668183.jpg?v=1575932168"},{"product_id":"marble-and-resin-christopher-columbus-pieces-on-walnut-and-maple-board","title":"Marble and Resin Christopher Columbus Pieces on Walnut and Maple Board","description":"\u003cp\u003eChristopher Columbus was born in the Republic of Genoa, in what is today Northwestern Italy. His father was a middle-class wool merchant. Columbus learnt to sail from an early age and later worked as a business agent, traveling around Europe to England, Ireland and later along the West coast of Africa. He was not a scholar, but was an enthusiastic self-educated man, who read extensively on astronomy, science and navigation. He also became fluent in Latin, Portuguese and Spanish.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eChristopher Columbus was a believer in the spherical nature of the world (some Christians still held the view that the world was flat). An ambitious man, Christopher Columbus hoped to find a Western trade route to the lucrative spice markets in Asia. Rather than sailing East, he hoped that sailing west would lead to countries like Japan and China.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo gain the necessary funding and support for his journeys, he approached the Catholic Monarchs of Spain. As part of his offer, he said that he hoped to be able to spread Christianity to ‘heathen lands’ in the east. The Spanish monarchs agreed to fund Columbus, partly on the missionary efforts, but also hoping to gain an upper hand in the lucrative trade markets.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eVoyages to the Americas\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eColumbus’ first voyage was completed in 1492. He had intended to sail to Japan, but ended up in the Bahamas, which he named San Salvador.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eColumbus made a total of four journeys, where he sailed extensively around the Caribbean islands of Cuba, Jamaica, the Bahamas and also to the mainland, to places such as Panama.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eColumbus was not the first person to reach America. Previous successful voyages included a Norse expedition led by Leif Ericson. However, Columbus was the first to travel to America and establish permanent settlements. Columbus’ voyages and reports, over the next 400 years encouraged all the major European powers to seek to colonize parts of America.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs part of the deal, the Spanish monarchy appointed Columbus Viceroy and Governor of the Indies in the island of Hispaniola. He also delegated the governorship to his brothers. However, in 1500, on the orders of the Spanish monarchy, Columbus was arrested and placed in chains. There were allegations of incompetence, misrule and barbaric practices in the governorship of the new colonies. After several weeks in jail, Columbus and his brothers were released, but Columbus was not allowed to be governor of Hispaniola anymore.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTowards the end of his life, Columbus became increasingly religious. In particular, he became fascinated with Biblical prophecies and wrote his own ‘Book of Prophecies’ (1505).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eColumbus died in 1506, aged 54 from a heart attack related to reactive arthritis. Undoubtedly, the rigors of traveling across the seas weighed upon Columbus’ health. Towards the end of his life, he was frequently in pain from his journeys.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eColumbus is venerated by many European Americans as the man who helped put America on the map. Columbus Day is observed on 12 October in Spain and across the Americas. Others take a more critical view of Columbus, arguing that his “discovery” was not really a discovery if the land was already populated and that through his actions the ensuing European colonization led to the mistreatment and genocide of the native American people who already lived there.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrom the designer\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMichael says, \"The detail of the pieces is quite special and the original designs date back to 1992 when they were created to mark the 500\u003csup\u003eth\u003c\/sup\u003e anniversary of the original voyage in 1492. Berkeley Chess have spent considerable time adapting the sculptures to ensure that they work as chess pieces. All characters depicted within the chess set played an important role in the success of the voyages but Christopher Columbus himself was of course the dominant force so would have to be my favourite piece. Vicente Pinzon was also instrumental to the success of the voyage as he accommodated Columbus and his crew on the flagship Nina when the Santa Maria was wrecked. Pinzon’s seamanship and man management skills were the salvation of the expedition especially on the stormy return journey to Spain.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt has been a great project for Berkeley Chess to be able to adapt these sculptures to create this chess set. I have always had a keen interest in European and American history and it has been a wonderful experience for me to be able to help create a product capturing what was one of the most important events in the development of the western world.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe rich and momentous life of Christopher Columbus has been brought to life in this beautifully detailed chess set. The characters are as follows:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKing: Christopher Columbus\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eQueen: Queen Isabella of Spain – Financial backer of the expeditions\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBishop: Vicente Yanez Pinzon – Captain of the support ship Nina\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKnight:  Martin Alonzo Pinzon – Captain of the support ship Pinta\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRook: The Santa Maria – The flagship of the expedition\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePawn: Rodrigo Bermajo – Crewman who first sighted land\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eKing Height 4.25\" (11cm).\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eKing Base 1.4\" (3.5cm).\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eKing Weight 130g (4.6oz)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTHE BOARD\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis walnut and maple chess board has a touch of elegance with black moulded edge and thin decorative border. Medium contrast works well with many wood chess men.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe playing surface and other surfaces are finished with high quality veneers and a special finish to enhance and protect the wood, giving the chess board a smooth matte finish and preventing glare. The board is manufactured in Spain with the same techniques used for high-end furniture.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eSpecifications:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBoard dimensions 21 5\/8\" x 21 5\/8\" x 1\/2\" (21.63\")\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSquare size: 2 1\/8\" (2.13\")\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Chess House","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":12653865304151,"sku":"E251","price":359.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1297\/3303\/products\/marble-and-resin-christopher-columbus-pieces-on-walnut-and-maple-board-3798033039447.jpg?v=1575932168"},{"product_id":"christopher-columbus-themed-pieces-on-palisander-board","title":"Christopher Columbus Themed Pieces on Palisander Board","description":"\u003cp\u003eDiscover \"a new world\" experience with this Christopher Columbus Themed Pieces on Palisander Board combo!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe stylish Santos Palisander and Maple veneered board features an inlay border and a  smooth matte finish that is pleasing to the eye and touch. The striped and highly visible grain of the Palisander wood is of the Dahlbergian genus, the same family as Rosewood and a wonderful match for the dark toned \u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eChristopher Columbus Themed Pieces\u003c\/span\u003e. The board is manufactured in Spain with the same techniques used with high-end furniture.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSitting atop the board, the Berkeley Christopher Columbus Themed Pieces are a crowning touch. The rich and momentous life of Christopher Columbus has been brought to life in these beautifully detailed pieces.  The detail itself is quite special and the original designs date back to 1992 when they were created to mark the 500th anniversary of the original voyage in 1492. Berkeley Chess have spent considerable time adapting the sculptures to ensure that they work as chess pieces.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePiece designer Michael says \"All characters depicted within the chess set played an important role in the success of the voyages but Christopher Columbus himself was of course the dominant force so would have to be my favorite piece. Vicente Pinzon was also instrumental to the success of the voyage as he accommodated Columbus and his crew on the flagship Nina when the Santa Maria was wrecked. Pinzon’s seamanship and man management skills were the salvation of the expedition especially on the stormy return journey to Spain.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt has been a great project for Berkeley Chess to be able to adapt these sculptures to create this chess set. I have always had a keen interest in European and American history and it has been a wonderful experience for me to be able to help create a product capturing what was one of the most important events in the development of the western world.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe characters are:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eKing: Christopher Columbus\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eQueen: Queen Isabella of Spain – Financial backer of the expeditions\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBishop: Vicente Yanez Pinzon – Captain of the support ship Nina\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eKnight:  Martin Alonzo Pinzon – Captain of the support ship Pinta\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRook: The Santa Maria – The flagship of the expedition\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePawn: Rodrigo Bermajo – Crewman who first sighted land\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eKing Height 4.25\" (11cm).\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eKing Diameter 1.4\" (3.5cm).\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eKing Weight 130g (4.6oz)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMade of a ratio of crushed marble and resin, and then finished with a felt underlay\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBoard dimensions 21 5\/8\" x 21 5\/8\" x 1\/2\" (21.63\")\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSquare size: 2 1\/8\" (2.13\")\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Chess House","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40276744142935,"sku":"E256","price":389.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1297\/3303\/files\/christopher-columbus-themed-pieces-on-palisander-board-32704241369175.jpg?v=1734813763"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.chesshouse.live\/collections\/themed-chess-sets-by-berkeley.oembed","provider":"Chess House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}