Selenus Style Chess Set

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The Selenus chess set is a classic among the most refined classical chess styles used before the standardized pieces became the norm following the launch of the Staunton chess set by John Jaques of London in 1849. Typical of Germany and Northern Europe, these sets were named after Gustavus Selenus, the pen name of Augustus the Younger, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg, who authored the Chess or the King's Game, a significant chess manual published in the 17th century. The standard included intricately crafted lathe-turned bases and shafts with ornate tiers resembling crowns. Pieces were distinguished by their heights and number of tiers. These beautiful sets can also be referred to as "Garden Chess Sets" because their theme often featured formal flower gardens, where Kings and Queens were depicted as fountains, Bishops and Pawns resembled flowers, Knights represented gentle horses, and Rooks took the form of civic towers instead of battlements. In England, they were commonly known as "Tulip Chess Sets".