Anglo-Dutch Chessmen, circa 1800
Between the late 1700s and the mid-1800s, many sets from Germany and the Netherlands found their way into the English market. These included the more delicate Selenus designs, among others, that showed elaborate craftsmanship, but lacked board presence and stability.
The Anglo-Dutch chessmen were a response by the more talented British carvers to the growing English market demand for elaborately carved chessmen normally offered by Dutch and German importers, but having the requisite stability to be used for practical play. That led to a class of chessmen often referred to as Anglo-Dutch. The Anglo-Dutch chessmen have the more elaborate and delicate carving features normally associated with chess pieces produced in Germany and The Netherlands, but are enhanced for practical play be the addition of stout, heavily armed English-style Rooks, Expressive Knight heads and the traditional Bishop’s miter. These sets lack the more traditional English Formeé and Maltese cross. Sets like these would have been obtained from the workshops of George Merrifield as well as Thomas Lund between 1800 and 1820.
