Here is a nice example of an English Chess Set in the "Barleycorn" pattern, which was probably produced between 1820 and 1850. The pieces are made of bone, one side stained in red, the other left natural. The bone surfaces are rather coarse and not polished to a smooth finish, but apart from that the set was turned and carved with great attention to detail. The broad barrel shaped bodies of the Kings and Queens show a typical Barleycorn decoration with very fine-grained barley ears. The Kings have a so called "fountain-type" finial with very fine acanthus leaf carvings, which is sometimes also called "Fountain Crown" or "Flower Crown". The Queens with a simpler type of carved spiral finial. The Rooks are massive turrets with a conical staff and ball finial and flags on top. All pieces have cogged circular bases. With a King size just a tad short of 5" the set has an impressive size.