Austrian Coffeehouse Chess Set, ca. 1860-1880

Austrian Coffeehouse Chess Set, ca. 1860-1880

Here is a set that vividly represents the transition between the Biedermeier period and the early Vienna coffee house style. I would date it to around 1860-1880. On the bishops you can still see the hats typical for the Biedermeier period. They are of flat round shape, but have a small bobble on top instead of the usual feathers. In contrast, the other pieces already correspond to the emerging Vienna coffee house style. The kings and queens have clearly pronounced broad crowns. While the crown of the queens already indicates the pointed crown shape typical of the Vienna coffee house style, the crown of the kings is essentially wide and sweeping and has only a small drop-shaped finial. Compared to the Biedermeier style, the knights are much more delicately carved with pointed ears and a curved mane. They are considerably larger overall, but do not yet have the pointed head shape of the later coffee house sets. The slender cylindrical shape of the rooks has also disappeared and was replaced by a massive tower with a broad base and widely projecting crenellations. The pawns no longer stand on flat pedestals, but have an altogether wide and massive base. The king height in this set is about 70 mm.
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