Bone(?) and horn(?) set

This set was listed as Egyptian made and bought. The pieces surely are Egyptian style, and there is a sticker on the reverse of the board stating it was made in Egypt, and with a price (I presume) in Arabic numerals. 

The board is very intricate, inlaid with what looks like wood, metal, and mother-of pearl.

As I already said, the pieces are clearly Egyptian in style.

But what are the pieces made of?

There are colour variations in the material used for the black pieces, which strongly suggest they're made of (cow?) horn. And that made me wonder about the white pieces. Although they resemble plastic in the first instance, it certainly isn't cheap plastic. And with the black pieces most likely made of horn, wouldn't it make more sense for the white pieces to be made of bone? 

Have to find a way to make sure ...

Mystery metal set

Saw this elegant metal chess set on eBay, and won the bidding with a pretty low max bid. It didn't come with a board, but I felt the slate and metal board I used for my skull set would be a good fit.

The pieces are quite heavy, and I assume the 'white' pieces are made from a copper alloy of some sort; I don't know about the 'black' pieces. 

The heads of the knights are silver-coloured; it looks original, but I can't really say for sure. It does give them some more character, though.

I have posted pictures of this set on several chess collectors Facebook groups, but haven't received any response (so far) as to where and when this set might have been made ... So if anyone reading this has any information, please let me know.

Varnished xiangqi set

Next addition to my collection of xiangqi sets! As so often, I got this off eBay for next to nothing. The board consists of a slim fold-up box which holds the pieces inside.

Board and pieces are pretty basic, made of wood, and with a layer of varnish.

Not that much more I can say about it, I guess, but it's different from all other xiangqi sets. Which is of course why I got it in the first place!

Harry Potter set

If you're a Harry Potter fan, you'll surely be familiar with this scene from "The Sorcerer's Stone".

Of course, the juggernaut called 'merchandising' couldn't resist .... And I hold my hands up; despite not being a Harry Potter fan, I was keen to add it to my collection of 'fictional' chess sets.

Board is the usual fold-up cardboard, but looking a bit more luxurious than with other sets. Pieces come in dedicated bags; another nice touch.

The pieces themselves are high quality plastic, and very detailed.

Although this is meant to be a set for Wizard's Chess, in the version I have, the pieces don't move by themselves ....  Maybe I should have gotten a more expensive version?

House of Marbles set

Saw this chess set on eBay, with a very low buy-it-now price and I couldn't resist getting it for the collection. Purely because it's so whimsical (as stated on the box) and different from anything else I have so far.

Both the very simple board and the pieces are made from painted wood.

I imagine this set is aimed more at children than adults, given the way the pieces are shaped and painted.

The pawns don't seem to be overly happy, but look at the face of the queen. She doesn't appear to have even the slightest idea as to where she is and what she's supposed to do ...

Whimsical set indeed!

Marble set

Open this box, and you'll see a velvet-covered inside, holding a set of marble chess pieces.

The set didn't come with a board, so to set it up for pictures, I used the board I also used for my Matador & Flamenco set

As you might expect, the pieces are quite heavy for their size.

I know nothing more about this set, where and when it was made, etc. So if anyone has any further information as to its origins ...

Indonesian (?) set

Saw this on eBay (where else?). Nicely-carved wooden box, which opens up to a chess board.

Pieces are kept inside the box, and are also carved from wood.

There is nothing in or on the box to suggest where the set was made, but from the style of the pieces, I strongly suspect they're Indonesian in origin.

Wherever they come from, definitely a unique addition to my collection!