Chess Set

The English Barleycorn style was one of the most popular patterns of chess pieces in England in the early 19th century. They were typically made of bone rather than wood, and the black pieces were often colored red. The pieces have relatively thin trunks rising from a flat base, and the larger pieces typically feature a highly decorated central ‘drum’. A common feature of this design is the flagpole atop the rooks, although this wasn’t present in every set. A common problem with the design – at least as far as practical play was concerned – was that the pieces were fragile and could topple or break with rough handling, and the rather ornate decoration was distracting to the eye. Nevertheless, they remained popular throughout the 19th century, although like many other patterns, their popularity declined after the introduction of the Staunton pattern.