Here’s a great chess set featuring characters from Alice in Wonderland.
The pieces are made of pewter. The board is handmade.
This set once belonged to a good friend of mine.
It now sits on an end table in the office.
To learn more about collectible chess sets click here.
Listen to a recent BBC radio documentary about chess here.
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5 Comments
Wonderful photos. Could you please tell me who makes this Alice In Wonderland chess set and where I might find one. I have seen other sets but prefer the metal. Thanks for responding. Ken
Hi Ken -
And thanks for your question!
The only information I have on this set is that it was made in Auckland, New Zealand. My guess is in the 1970s or 80s. This was a set of a friend of mine who has since passed away. Unfortunately, I don’t know where she purchased it or if she ever went to New Zealand.
I’m sorry I couldn’t be more help. I tried to do further research, but I’m not coming up with anything.
Please let me know if you find out anything! I’d love to include more info in this post!
I have this exact set, except mine is on a handmade leather board. It appears the example shown here has been modified. Some of the pawns (cards holding brushes) are atop the square base mounts (un-centered at that), and some are not. Alice (white queen) and two of the rabbits (knights) are not on their base blocks, and the black queen is on some sort of dissimilar base. In my set, all the main pieces are atop the square base blocks, and all the pawns stand freely on smaller blob-like bases.
My set was purchased in a shop along the California coast during a road trip with my parents. I was little (1970′s) and only vaguely recall it being called The Toy Soldier Factory, or perhaps just The Soldier Factory. I also seem to recall her telling me at some point (years ago) that they don’t make them anymore, so what’s out there is all there is.
Marcus –
Thank you so much for this information!
This was very helpful.
We inherited this chess set and have no idea about its history.
It’s possible this set was bought in CA during the 70s.
I know she lived there during that time.
Thanks again for your helpful information!
All the best!
April
I have this chess set. It was purchased in Calif. in 1980. I also have J.R.R.Tolkien The Hobbitt, good vs. evil set. Both made of pewter. If interested in purchasing please contact me.