Themed Chess Set Pieces

Themed chess sets are fascinating to me even though I haven’t really played chess in years. The sets in this article are primarily designed from a company in Italy by the name of Italfama. This company is located in Florence, Italy.

Fun fact: If you ever travel to Italy and you are looking for a train to Florence, it is actually known as Firenze. You are welcome in advance…it took my brother and I two hours to figure that out.

There are numerous types of boards, chess pieces, and combined sets at The Chess Store where these sets are featured, but I am going to focus more-so on the themed chess pieces. These themes vary from the American Civil War, the Renaissance, Egyptian, Roman, and more. I will break it down into two categories: Hand Painted and Metal-Only themed pieces. Some hand-painted pieces are painted on metal, and some sets give you the choice between hand-painted or metal pieces for the same theme.

This is just a sample of the selection available! Keep in mind, the size of the pieces determines the size of the chess board you need. It would be very difficult playing on a board with 1 inch squares when the bases of your pieces are all 1.5 inches. For example, if you have pieces that are 1.5 inches, you need to have a board with squares sized at 2 inches or more. The Chess Store does offer these themed sets with boards as well as without boards. I am showcasing just the pieces without the boards. At the end of this article, I will share a code to save you money if you decide to purchase anything!

Hand Painted Chess Pieces

Large American Civil War Theme Chess Set

These pieces are made from crushed stone. They are packaged in a decorative cardboard box with a tray designed to store each piece in its own placeholder. The King height is 5 inches while the base is 1.5 inches. All pieces do have a felt bottom to avoid scratches.

Mary Stuart Queen of Scots Theme Hand Painted Metal Chess Set by Italfama

This theme is based on the life of Mary Stuart Queen of Scots. She was linked to a plot to assassinate her cousin Queen Elizabeth I of England. Mary was eventually executed. The pieces are cast from solid metal using the age-old lost-wax casting process. They are then brass and nickel plated and hand painted. This is a large chess set with a 3.75 inch king with a 1.5” base and felt bases.

Large Napoleon Theme Hand Painted Metal Chess Set by Italfama

This Italfama set is cast from solid zinc using the age-old lost-wax casting process. With this set, you can experience a chess set that showcases Napoleon Bonaparte, his wife Josephine, and other key elements of his French army. The pieces are brass and nickel plated and then hand painted. They are then sealed with several layers of lacquer to prevent tarnishing. The King is 3.6 inches tall with a 1.25” base and felt bottoms.

Renaissance Theme Hand Painted Metal Chess Set by Italfama

The Renaissance is a very large and heavy chess set with a 5.5 inch tall king. The pieces are detailed depicting the royal characters of the Renaissance period including the king, queen, and bishop. The knight is a rearing horse in full barding, a castle tower the rook, and the foot soldier with shield the pawn.  Pieces are made of cast zinc using the old-world lost wax casting process. Pieces are brass and nickel plated and then hand painted. This theme is also available in an unpainted metal version. Because the King is 5.5” tall with a 1.5” base, a chess board with 2.375-2.5” squares is recommended.

Small Medieval Theme Hand Painted Metal Chess Set by Italfama

This Lotario brass chess set from Italfama is based on Lotario de’ Conti di Segni whom went on to become Pope Innocent III during the height of the medieval papacy. The King is 2.375” tall with a .875” base, so the recommended chess board size will need to be 1.25” to 1.5” squares.

Metal Chess Pieces

Medieval Theme Metal Chess Set by Italfama

This chess set depicts the key figures from the medieval period including the king, queen, bishop, and knight, and castle. It is a large chess set with a king that measures 3.625 inches tall and a 1.25 inch diameter base, so a chess board with2-2.5” squares is recommended. Cast from solid zinc using the age-old lost-wax casting process, the weight of the full set is 10 pounds. The pieces are brass and nickel plated and sealed with several layers of lacquer to prevent tarnishing.

Roman Emperor Bust Theme Metal Chess Set by Italfama

Here we have a chess set that combines a broken Roman column with the busts of Caesar, his wife, and other Roman characters sitting atop. It is a large chess set with a king that measures 4.75 inches tall and a 1.25 inch diameter base that is cast from solid zinc using the age-old lost-wax casting process. The pieces are brass and nickel plated and sealed with several layers of lacquer to prevent tarnishing.

Large Egyptian Theme Metal Chess Set by Italfama

These chess pieces are represented by figures and artifacts from ancient Egypt culture including Pharaoh, Obelisk, and the Great Sphinx of Giza. This is a very large chess set with a king that measures 5 inches tall and a 1.5 inch square base. It is cast from solid zinc using the age-old lost-wax casting process and the pieces are brass and nickel plated and sealed with several layers of lacquer to prevent tarnishing.

I am more drawn to the metal chess pieces, but I do appreciate the art in the hand painted pieces. Although this article is focused on the pieces, The Chess Store does also provide a wide selection of different chess boards featuring different sizes made from natural wood, colored wood, metal, silicone, and more. They even have travel cases and bags for those that travel on teams.

My favorite set in those featured here is the Roman metal set. What is yours? Or, maybe you would like to see what else is available? Check out more at The Chess Store here.

Do you want to save money on your purchase? To save an additional 10% on everything, use this code when checking out: NL3292022