# War of 1812 and Civil War Chess sets



## JimArnold (Mar 13, 2011)

JOAT and I have been brainstorming up some themes for chess sets. Of course the subject of wars came up (they do make good themes) and he mentioned the Civil War and the War of 1812. Those are two Wars where I've made sets and just wanted to post a couple pics of them. Both boards are about 36" square (they're huge), Abe Lincoln is about 9" tall, foot soldier pawns about 4" tall, the board is removable to feature different battles, this one features a period map of Gettysburg. The War of 1812 set if one of my favorites. It features replicas of the hulls of the Constitution and the Guerririe (sp) the boats are over 30" long, and with the captain it stands about 11" tall. The boats have the two flags, and just like in battle, when you're ready to surrender (or to concede a chess game) you remove your flag from your stern. The boats are significant as their battle was the first official Victory at Sea for the United States...the Constitution is still in service today!!! No dremmels, duplicators, or replicators, pieces are hand carved with old fashioned bench chisels.

Solid Walnut and Maple throughout.

And thanks to the many helpful tips and suggestions I've received from the forum, they help a lot!

Jim


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## JOAT (Apr 9, 2010)

I guess that WOW! pretty well covers it. Ubercool.


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## berry (Oct 17, 2005)

Beautiful sets, magnificent even but as a player, I don't want anything but a Staunton style plastic pieces and a vinyl board with the alpha-numeric notations in the margins. 
I need to be able to carry it easily to the coffee house or club and if a piece drops and it's broken or I spill beer on it. It's no problem.

And for me, having a chess set to 'simply' look at doesn't make any more sense than having a pre-war Bugatti or 1960 Triumph Bonniville and never taking it on the road. Maybe that's a lousy metaphore. It's like having a fine set of chisels and never cutting wood with them.


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## Gaffboat (Mar 11, 2012)

Those are absolutely superb! Even a non-chess player like me would be happy to display something like those.


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

Really nice work. You've clearly passed through woodworking and are into artwork. Great idea and well executed.


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## JOAT (Apr 9, 2010)

berry said:


> Beautiful sets, magnificent even but as a player, I don't want anything but a Staunton style plastic pieces and a vinyl board with the alpha-numeric notations in the margins.
> I need to be able to carry it easily to the coffee house or club and if a piece drops and it's broken or I spill beer on it. It's no problem.
> 
> And for me, having a chess set to 'simply' look at doesn't make any more sense than having a pre-war Bugatti or 1960 Triumph Bonniville and never taking it on the road. Maybe that's a lousy metaphore. It's like having a fine set of chisels and never cutting wood with them.


Plastic? Why steenkin' plastic, when you can get wood Staunton style pieces? Or even make your own. Wood pieces don't break that easily either. A vinyl board would be OK, but if I were going to carry, I'd prefer a box to hold the pieces, and a board on top - do it with style. You could even carry a nice board and your pieces in a briefcase; I'd prefer a wood briefcase if I did that.


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

Jim, you are so over my pay grade I'm in awe...


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## MartinW (Jun 26, 2013)

Jim,

these sets are awesome - and as others said already, beyond mere wood working, and well showing beatiful art. Really impressive !!!

Martin


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## JimArnold (Mar 13, 2011)

Thanks for your comments everybody!


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## JimArnold (Mar 13, 2011)

They are definitely not USCF (United States Chess Federation) certified, so they won't be showing up in any tournaments, but they are perfectly and easily playable. I do make a reproduction set of the original 1849 Staunton designs, that has been popular. Here's a couple pics, I make them for 1.75", 2.0", 2.25", and 2.5" squared boards, and these are within USCF specs.

Hand-turned/hand carved from Walnut and Pear, heavily weighted and leather or felt pads on the bottom. The knights are 1-piece unlike even Jacques or HOS have ever done, if fact, Jacques and HOS use subcontractors to make their knights, they are two pieces the base, and the knight head.

In tournaments today, plastic and vinyl are the standard, but many players use wood pieces in tourneys as well. Came within a whisker of having a set used in the championship match of the Phoenix Open last year.


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## JimArnold (Mar 13, 2011)

The last two sets pictured are from a one-off set I did for a big collector of Staunton sets.


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## Wildwood (Aug 14, 2010)

Thanks for sharing this Jim - it is inspiring to see such workmanship, and also the war concept. And as for the conventional sets, I believe nothing beats wooden, hand made!


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## JimArnold (Mar 13, 2011)

Thanks Wildwood, I agree. Almost all of the offerings anymore get spit out of a programmed lathe by the thousands. India has kind of taken over chess piece production of late, mastering that technology, but even totally machined sets look great sometimes and the price is impossible to compete with, or pass up.


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## neville9999 (Jul 22, 2010)

Jim most hand made chess sets do not come with such nice pieces, yours are very nice. NGM


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## bdusten (Mar 22, 2013)

I don't know what to say other than WOW! Amazing, Spectacular, Awesome I love playing chess and as for plastic or wood that's not even debatable I own both. I don't know where the plastic pieces are. You have a great talent, not to be rude but I'm jealous.


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## marecat3 (Nov 30, 2010)

These are so fantastic WOW!!!!! Love them all.


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## JimArnold (Mar 13, 2011)

I should have put this one up as well. It's the Scottish Wars for Independence Chess Set. It (roughly) represents the time of William Wallace (Gibson's "Braveheart" days). Edward I, King of England squaring off against King John of Scotland. Many times, the same castle was won and/or lost several times over the course of the '30' years of fighting, the set comes with four flags and who ever wins gets to fly their colors until they are defeated. This is another massive set measuring about 30" square, and it's over 17" from the bottom of the castle wall to the top of King John's flag. Have to make another one of these next month. The castle walls are made from hard Maple and the corners and 'keeps' are basswood. A friend of mine in England took a ton of pics of several castles and castle keeps for me...the castle pictured here is kind of a morph of several of them.

That's it for the War sets, for now anyway...

Thanks again for the generous comments!

Jim


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## Tagwatts (Apr 11, 2012)

Sir, without any doubt your are true craftsman. I appreciate your work. I play chess and can see that these pieces though not traditional are most near rare. I would not play with a set like this, but would love to have set on my mantle. Do you build any of these sets to be sold? if so I would like to know cost and time to have it done. They are fantastic to say the least. What a job.


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## JOAT (Apr 9, 2010)

I don't care what the standard is in tournaments, I'd want to be playing with one of those sets - if I was that good a player, which I'm not. :lol: I like that table a lot too. Nice. I'm old fashioned in many ways, to me a chess set is wood, and Staunton style. That and Isle of Lewis, and carved walrus ivory, but not likely to ever get one of those, at least not in this reincarnation.


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## Daikusan (Apr 12, 2013)

JimArnold said:


> I should have put this one up as well. It's the Scottish Wars for Independence Chess Set. It (roughly) represents the time of William Wallace (Gibson's "Braveheart" days). Edward I, King of England squaring off against King John of Scotland. Many times, the same castle was won and/or lost several times over the course of the '30' years of fighting, the set comes with four flags and who ever wins gets to fly their colors until they are defeated. This is another massive set measuring about 30" square, and it's over 17" from the bottom of the castle wall to the top of King John's flag. Have to make another one of these next month. The castle walls are made from hard Maple and the corners and 'keeps' are basswood. A friend of mine in England took a ton of pics of several castles and castle keeps for me...the castle pictured here is kind of a morph of several of them.
> 
> That's it for the War sets, for now anyway...
> 
> ...


Wow!! It would blow my mind playing with a set like that. It is hard enough to concentrate let alone trying to figure out/remember the pieces while playing. You are the master of the masters making chess sets. I gather from your comments you play frequently also. Is that where you gained your interest in making the sets? 

Have you tried making Shogi?

THANKS so much for sharing.
Steve


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## steamfab (Jun 22, 2012)

Awesome chess board and pieces! You have great attention to details, great design and carving very well thought out. They tell a great history as well, educational and fun. They are worth collecting and to be displayed in an art gallery or museum. Work of a great craftsman, excellent work sir!


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## Seenya (Apr 11, 2010)

Absolutely stunning, Jim! You are a true credit to our craft and art.


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## JimArnold (Mar 13, 2011)

Daikusan, I don't get to play as much as I once used to, and I miss that. I have played for decades, if I participated in the official rankings, I'd end up somewhere around 1700-1800, but those numbers are suspect. I once played a master five games in a row, I won two of them, including the last one we played (he was not amused), thinking I was hot stuff after those games, I played a six year old boy a couple weeks later who beat me like I didn't know what the name of the game was!

I learned from my father, but the person that I learned the most from about the game, was a homeless man I met in Ft. Meyer's, Florida. I did mall shows there and when he knew I was in town, he'd show up to the mall hours before it opened and we played game after game after game after game, he was an ex-Central Park player in NYC, and he knew how to teach! He added hundreds of points to my rating, it was because of him that i beat that Chess Master 2 out of 5 games. My game has never been as good before or since those days with him and never will be.

I do think you have to know how to play to be able to design. Not so critical in making Staunton sets because everybody in the world is familiar with that design, but it's essential when you go off the deep end with custom themed sets as I try to do. As strange and obnoxious as some of my designs are, there's not one you couldn't sit down at, study them for a minute and start playing. The "hard" part about playing them isn't their design, the hard part is not letting your mind wander as the game unfolds. Depending on where the pieces are on the board, they tell a story associated with the theme with the characters, that story is different with every game because every game is different. And you can believe that when I do play my friends on my sets I take EVERY advantage of that fact.

I do sell my sets, I placed a link in the classifieds here to my main gallery site, but that's not why I joined here. I joined this site for the same reasons I join any woodworking site and that's to learn for sure, but the main reason is to just marvel and gawk at the so many ways woodworkers express themselves as they do what they do. Signing in to sites like this feels like coming home, with all the garbage and negativity going on in the outside world, its so nice to see and talk to people who share common interests and are willing to share and encourage with others too, and like I said, I am continually amazed by the talent and creativity and thoughts and ideas and projects that people come up with. Not only is it awesome, and it is, it re-charges my batteries instantly! 

Thanks again for all the wonderful comments and many tips I've received from the forum here!

Jim


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## JOAT (Apr 9, 2010)

JimArnold said:


> I joined this site for the same reasons I join any woodworking site and that's to learn for sure, but the main reason is to just marvel and gawk at the so many ways woodworkers express themselves as they do what they do.


Well, most of us marvel and gawk at your sets. Definitely glad to have you aboard.
I used to play a lot of chess when I was in Bangkok. However, we also drank beer while we played. None of us were very good really, but we had a whole lot of fun. :laugh:  That was many, MANY, moons ago.


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## Daikusan (Apr 12, 2013)

JimArnold said:


> . . .. And you can believe that when I do play my friends on my sets I take EVERY advantage of that fact.
> 
> . . .. I joined this site for the same reasons I join any woodworking site and that's to learn for sure, but the main reason is to just marvel and gawk at the so many ways woodworkers express themselves as they do what they do. Signing in to sites like this feels like coming home, with all the garbage and negativity going on in the outside world, its so nice to see and talk to people who share common interests and are willing to share and encourage with others too.
> 
> Jim


I had a good chuckle when I read you use it to your advantage. Couldn’t agree with you more it is a breath of fresh air to come here, to look at peoples magnificent work, and share information in a friendly non-intimidating atmosphere. Thank you for sharing your work with us. You are a chess master in your own right.


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

Every so often I come upon a thread I missed in the past and dig into it. I really like all of the sets you have made Jim.

When I was in the service I carried a small folding magnetic set in the cargo pocket of my BDUs. Any time we got a break out it came and it helped preserve my sanity. I spent many happy hours in Korea playing against my CSM on the steps outside my Quonset hut. He never beat me but the games were always neck and neck. I am not very good but have played in a tournament and got my butt handed to me. If you can break your opponents concentration anything can happen. I am very proud to say I beat a candidate grand master one night in a bar. His skill level was so far beyond mine that he got careless with his play and in the third game I beat him. :dance3:


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## JimArnold (Mar 13, 2011)

Thanks for your story Mike! I would have liked to seen the GM's face hehehe...those guys dont like to lose, and that's the thing about the game, one bad move and it can be all over with no matter who you are. I'm still making them as fast as I can...7 days a week...but the sad part for me is that I can't remember the last time I sat down and played a game face to face...been years.


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## blumutt58 (Jul 29, 2015)

great attention to detail!


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

your heart and soul is in your work here by the ton.....
impressive, just won't/doesn't cover it ...


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Jim you do amazing work . I couldn't imagine the man hours that goes into a set like this


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## Tagwatts (Apr 11, 2012)

Would you want to sell any of these sets? I think there is money to be made with this talent you have shown..


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## TwoSkies57 (Feb 23, 2009)

Tagwatts1 said:


> Would you want to sell any of these sets? I think there is money to be made with this talent you have shown..



Frank... all of Jim's sets are for sale...its what he does, and it does it extraordinarily well. 

Jim Arnold: Jim Arnold's Hand Carved Custom themed Chess Sets, Chess Tables, and Chess Pieces | Ronda, NC

Jim and I talked a few times about my making a custom table for one of his sets. One of these days I"m gonna do it


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

I missed this thread when it originated. I hope Jim is still creating and posting(?).
Wonderful craftsmanship.


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## WoodBurningMan (Jan 3, 2017)

Super Awesome on these , Excellent work .


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Jim those are seriously impressive works of art and derserve a second post !


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## JOAT (Apr 9, 2010)

Check etsy for some of his work. Apparently he is still alive, and still creating fantastic chess sets. Probably one of, if not the, best carvers in the world.


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## Knothead47 (Feb 10, 2010)

OK, what are the pawns in the 1812 set? The pedestals of the other pieces? I have a hand carved set of chess pieces (made in France), storage box, and a folding chessboard. I'm going to give it to one of my grandsons as soon as I can find it in the attic. BTW, he is nine and beats me every time. :crying:


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## Gr8trim4u (Jan 5, 2017)

Excellent work!!!!


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## billyjim (Feb 11, 2012)

All of your boards are absolutely gorgeous but I especially like the Castle. I can't imagine using any of your boards for a game of chess...I would be too busy studying your craftsmanship to concentrate on the game.


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## Northerner26 (Jan 2, 2010)

very impressive work/craftsmanship!

i have been wanting to make my own board which is the easy part but i could never make pieces anything like yours, they truly are a great creation.
the best i could do is scroll some 3-d pieces. but maybe if i build a board nice enough i might order a set of your pieces for it. 

keep up the great work!


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## Big_Jim (Feb 8, 2013)

I can't think of any other word but "AWESOME". Great work.


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## Steven Owen (Aug 14, 2017)

It’s good work. I’m surprised any American would metion the war of 1812 since the American lost to the British and Canadians.


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## woody123444 (Sep 25, 2020)

Wow they are great.


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

As the Brits say, "I'm gobsmacked!" Those are superb!


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