18" Mark of Westminster Ebony Lux Imperator Staunton Presidential Chess Set

This chess set is shown on our 18" Wengue and Maple Presidential Chess Board but several wood options are available to best suit your personal style and taste. Each color currently available is shown. Chess pieces made in India. Chess board made in Spain. Deluxe humidor style storage box optional.

Mark of Westminster Chess Pieces are the paradigm of perfection in wood staunton chess piece design. The premier chess pieces by Mark Of Westminster have been known for their heirloom quality. Each chess set is exclusive, with a printed certificate of authenticity that serves as a lifetime warranty for natural defect. Each chess piece is hand-carved, has leather-bottoms, extra queens, and the signature Mark of Westminster Logo beneath the king.

The Imperator design has a very classic chess piece style with the right amount of ornate detail. These chess pieces are Ebonywood and Boxwood, which can suit virtually any board color, however Walnut, Teak, Wengue, and Ebonized chess boards are most popular.

Ebonywood Chess Pieces are the prize choice of many chess aficionados. The purest ebony has little grain, and is jet black in color. Ebony is an extremely rare and hard wood, and is often seen in heirloom quality chess pieces. Boxwood Chess Pieces are the near universal standard for 'white' chess pieces in hand-carved sets. It is a fairly easy wood to work with, and shows off good detail.

The Presidential luxury chess boards by Mark of Westminster are premier, furniture quality, real-wood veneer inlays. This style, available only through the Mark of Westminster line, is a quarter inch thicker than most other chess boards. Most noticeable, the Presidential Series has black beveled edging that brings added elegance without appearing too busy. It also a unique mosaic with maple, mahogany, and black that is not only stylish, but also brings in color that allows it to match well with virtually any chess set. These boards have felt-pad feet for protection of both the board and your own furniture. Less than 100 of these chess boards are produced each year, and each come with a certificate of authenticity with serial number.

Wengue is the closest natural wood you will find to a true Ebony, although still more on the brown side. Pure black ebony is very difficult, if not impossible, to make into a veneer, so Wengue is commonly used to make a very dark chessboard. Wengue is a tropical wood from africa, with a heartwood that dark brown, nearly black, with fine, closely spaced, very dark veins and white lines. The combination of white bands against the dark wood with black streaks gives Wengue a very attractive appearance. The grain is fairly straight.

Chess Set Details:

King Height	King Base	Queen Height	Bishop Height	Knight Height	Rook Height	Pawn Height	Square Size	Board Size	Board Thickness
3 1/2"	1 5/8"	3"	2 1/2"	2 1/2"	2 1/8"	1 3/4"	1 3/4"	18"	3/4"

Below is a chart of approximate weights of all pieces; please note these are estimates as slight variations can occur in hand carved items.

Wood	King Weight	Queen Weight	Bishop Weight	Knight Weight	Rook Weight	Pawn Weight
Ebony	2.39 oz	1.95 oz	1.16 oz	1.75 oz	1.68 oz	0.77 oz
Boxwood	2.07 oz	1.71 oz	1.04 oz	1.30 oz	1.44 oz	0.65 oz