In the late 1880s to early 1890s, leather caskets were introduced as the standard housing for Jaques ivory chess sets—and possibly for wooden sets by special request. These caskets typically came in red or green leather sarcophagus-style designs, with the less common “Trolley Car” variant also in circulation. There is documented evidence of blue leather caskets as well, although these were exclusively associated with Marshall-style sets from 1899 onward. All known examples of these caskets featured green Jaques labels.

The timeline and application of leather caskets remain a topic of ongoing debate—particularly from my own (admittedly biased) perspective. I personally own a wooden Jaques set that is believed to be entirely original, housed in what appears to be its original leather casket. Notably, the king is stamped only on the white side—a detail that aligns with Jaques production from approximately 1885 to 1890. Since the exact year when double stamping became mandatory remains unclear, it’s challenging to pinpoint an exact date. However, based on current understanding, the set appears to fit squarely within that transitional window.

This particular set comes from the collection of Frank Camaratta, who has confirmed that the label precisely matches the set and the time period associated with the early introduction of leather caskets. Frank is confident—almost entirely so—that this set is an original suite.

While leather caskets were generally intended for ivory sets due to their higher cost, both Frank, Alan Fersht, and I believe it is entirely plausible—if not likely—that Jaques accommodated custom requests, such as pairing a wooden set with a leather casket. Given their premium nature, early green leather caskets may have remained in stock for extended periods, eventually paired with wooden sets when requested by clients.

Further supporting the idea that leather caskets predate the first known advertisement in October 1890 is the existence of at least two custom ivory sets produced by Jaques with 5.5” kings: one created circa 1860–1865 for a Mexican general, and another possibly made in the 1850s for Howard Staunton himself. Both were housed in red leather Trolley Car caskets, clearly demonstrating that leather caskets were in production well before the commonly accepted 1890s timeline.

If my set is indeed original—as the evidence strongly suggests—it may represent the earliest known example of a leather casket paired with a wooden Jaques set from the late 1880s, apart from those two unique ivory commissions.

(Set images by Shane Chateauneuf of MyChessCollection.com. Ivory set image courtesy of Alan Fersht, britishchesssets.com.)

(Images by: Shane Chateauneuf of MyChessCollection.com) &(Ivory set Image by: Alan Fersht of britishchesssets.com)